


Voltron Watches Voltron

by orphan_account



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Aliens, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Gay Keith (Voltron), How Do I Tag, Hunk (Voltron) is a Good Friend, Hunk (Voltron) is so Pure, Insecure Lance (Voltron), Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, Klance is a thing in this, Lance & Pidge | Katie Holt Friendship, Lance (Voltron) is a Mess, Minor Allura/Lotor (Voltron), Minor Allura/Shiro (Voltron), Minor Hunk/Shay (Voltron), Multi, Protective Lance (Voltron), Sassy Pidge | Katie Holt, Socially Awkward Keith (Voltron), Space Dad Shiro (Voltron), Space Mom Allura (Voltron), Space Uncle Coran (Voltron), Supportive Coran (Voltron), Uncle Coran (Voltron), lance cares way too much about his friends, since that is canon, this is going to be exhausting i can already tell
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-24
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-08-07 00:12:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 17
Words: 54,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16397756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: The title pretty much sums it up.





	1. Waking Up (introduction chapter)

**Author's Note:**

> I'd just like to say right at the start that:
> 
> 1\. Only the main five (plus Allura and Coran) will be watching the show. 
> 
> 2\. Yes, Klance is real in this story. 
> 
> 3\. I do not own Voltron: Legendary Defender or any of the characters in it

Keith opened his eyes slowly, blinking a couple times as he tried to adjust to the bright light above his head. He wasn’t fully awake until he heard a groan a few feet away. 

 

Keith pushed himself up from the ground, shaking his head a couple times for good measure and looked around. 

 

The other paladins, and Allura and Coran, were sprawled out across the ground around him.

 

Lance had landed on top of Hunk, his head half resting on the other boy’s shoulder. Pidge had fallen onto her side, and she almost looked like she was just sleeping.

 

Coran and Allura had fallen next to each other, and one of Coran’s hands was in Allura’s hair. Shiro had his head resting on Allura’s leg.

 

Keith had to stare out over the group for a solid 10 seconds just wondering if this was real life. Unfortunately, it was. 

 

He sighed and staggered to his feet. After all, this wasn’t the weirdest thing that ever happened to him.

 

He walked over to Lance and Hunk first, lightly tapping Hunk’s cheek. “Hunk? Can you please get up?”

 

Hunk wrinkled his nose and snored louder in response. Keith rolled his eyes and focused on waking Lance.

 

He nudged Lance gently a couple times until the boy started to wake up. His eyes fluttered open after a couple minutes. "Keith...? Why are you waking me up? We don't have training this morning." Lance muttered sleepily, curling himself into Hunk.

Keith rolled his eyes and nudged him again. "Because we're in some weird room and everyone is passed out except for me. I don't know where we are, please wake up."

Lance's eyes snapped open and he pushed himself off Hunk to look around. Keith was right, the room was weird. It had 7 seats, color coded in the exact order of: Yellow, Blue, Red, Green, Black, Pink, and Orange. (Does Coran have a color?) 

In front of the seats, there was an empty stand, the kind you'd see at carnivals. You could clearly see a popcorn maker, chip bags, and soda cans inside. There was also a giant screen with a projector in the back. 

"What the heck did you get us into, Keith?" Lance scowled at the other boy. Keith blinked in surprise, looking offended. "I didn't do anything! I just woke up first, that's all." He crossed his arms defensively. 

Lance murmured something under his breath before pushing Hunk. And hard. Hunk startled awake with a yelp, his arms shooting up to defend himself. "AH! WHAT?!?"

Keith smirked at Lance's good thinking. The only things that could wake Hunk up were probably food, or fear. 

"Well, my dear friend, we're in the middle of some creepy old theater room and I don't want to be stuck with just Keith for the rest of my life." 

Keith's smirk fell into a frown. Hunk chuckled nervously as he looked around the room. "Guys...does anyone know WHY we're stuck in a theater room?" Hunk asked, meeting Lance's eyes. 

Lance shook his head with a lopsided smile. "Not a clue."

Keith shrugged before walking over to Allura, Shiro, and Coran. Hunk and Lance walked over to Pidge. 

Keith knew it was easy to wake Shiro and Allura, but not so easy to wake Coran. Coran only woke up when you shoved him out of bed. He could sleep through Zarkon blowing up the ship with not a single problem. 

He gently shook Shiro's shoulders, and whispered, "Hey, Shiro. Wake up." 

Shiro woke up easily, opening his eyes and pushing himself up into a sitting position. "Keith? Where are we?" 

Keith shrugged. "We're not sure. It's some sort of theater, but we don't know how we got here or how to get out." He explained quickly. Once Shiro took a good look around, he woke up Allura. 

She yawned sleepily, smiling softly before standing up and stretching her arms. "Well, I think this theater looks lovely." She stated. 

Lance, Hunk, and Pidge walked over. Pidge looked pretty irritated to have been woken up, despite the circumstances.

Keith was away from the group, shaking Coran wildly in an attempt to wake him up. The man just kept snoring.

As the group, minus Keith and Coran of course, tried to figure out what to do, Allura walked over to Keith and Coran and knelt down.

"You're doing it wrong. See, watch me." Allura told Keith, gently moving him back. Keith complied, moving a foot away to watch her. 

She ran a hand gently through Coran's hair. "Coran. Coran, wake up." She spoke softly.

Then, she rose one hand and swung it down swiftly across Coran's cheek. Keith jumped back, startled. 

Coran choked on a snore and woke up quickly. "Wah! What is it? Where are we? What did I miss?"

Before anyone could respond, a loud, echoing voice filled the room. 

"Hello, Team Voltron. Welcome to the theater." 

The team froze, Keith rising to his feet and Allura staying crouched protectively beside Coran. 

"There is no need to worry. You're perfectly safe here."

That didn't seem to calm them much.

"You will be watching Voltron: Legendary Defender today. This show is based on all of you and your journeys from the beginning to the end. You will be seeing things you have never seen about your fellow teammates. Please, take your respective seats." 

The team reluctantly walked over to the chairs and sat down in their chairs. Lance tried to lighten the mood with a joke. "Really, disembodied voice? You had to sit me next to Keith?" 

Nobody laughed.

"Feel free to go and get any drinks or snacks you wish during the show. This is your lives." 

The lights in the room turned off until it was pitch black, and then the screen lit up. 

This was going to be fun.


	2. The Rise of Voltron (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It took a surprisingly long time to write this. This is going to be in several parts because it would take way too long, and the chapter would be too long, if I did it all at once. Thanks!

**A moon began to appear on screen. The words: “Kerberos: Moon of Pluto” in the bottom right corner.**

 

Pidge gasped and leaned forward in her chair, eyes wide. Shiro put a hand gently on her shoulder.

**An object began to slide out of the ground, it had clearly been taking samples of ice. A young boy with blonde hair slowly slides the ice out of the capsule. "Easy son, this ice is delicate." An older man warns from behind him.**

"Matt, Dad..." Pidge whispered. Shiro continued staring at the screen with a distant look in his eyes, as if he was reliving the event.

**Matt continues to slide out the ice, but slightly slower this time. "Amazing." He murmured, a small smile on his face. He looked to the side. "Isn't this exciting, Shiro?" The camera angle switched. Shiro was holding the capsule for Matt. He smiled. "You guys get a little more excited about ice samples than I do."**

Keith glanced at Shiro for a moment, before returning his eyes to the screen.

**Pidge's father, Sam, replied, "This is history in the making, not only have we traveled farther than any human ever has, but this ice could hold microscopic clues about the existence of life outside Earth."**

Pidge half smiled. "Little did he know." Pidge looked over at Coran and Allura, who looked like they were having a pleasant time already.

**Matt turned around. "Think of it, Dad. We could use those clues to become the first people to meet aliens." Matt turned back to the ice. "My life's work would be complete." Sam replied. The ground began to shake.**

Shiro looked away from the screen.

**"What is that? Seismic activity?"**

**"We should get back to the ship."**

"I know this already happened but...I wish you guys had run a little faster." Pidge whispered, half to herself, half to Shiro. The man sighed. "I don't think it would have made much of a difference."

**A Galra ship flew closer until it cast a giant shadow over the area. "What is that?!" Sam asked. "It can't be." Shiro grabbed the two. "Run! Come on, run!"**

Pidge smiled at Shiro.

**The three ran as the ship began sucking up the ground and everything else behind them. Within seconds, the ship sucked them up as well. The screen turned black.**

Allura turned to Shiro with a sympathetic smile. "I am sorry that happened to you, Shiro. And I am sorry it happened to your family, Pidge."

**A muffled voice spoke. "Emperor Zarkon, we were scouting System X-9-Y as ordered when we found these primitive scientists. I don't think they know anything useful."**

Everyone in the team shivered at the name alone.

**Shiro appeared on screen waking up. A hologram of Zarkon talking to another Galra appeared as well. "Take them back to the main fleet for interrogation." Shiro turned to see Matt and Sam unconscious. "The druids will find out what they know."  
Shiro spoke, "Please, we come from a peaceful planet! We mean you no harm!" **

Coran shook his head slowly. "The Galra are far from peaceful."

**"We're unarmed!" Shiro yelled. A Galra hit him in the back of the head with their gun.**

The team winced, including Shiro.

**The screen turned black again before switching to Shiro's perspective. One Galra had a hold of either Matt or Sam, and Shiro was being dragged down a hall. Other alien prisoners stared at him through holes in their cells. "Look they brought in another one."**

Allura slowly shook her head. "It still saddens me that I slept through the Galra taking over so much of the universe and enslaving so many innocents."

**"Who is it?"**

**"Over there. It's another one."**

Hunk shrunk back in his seat. This was giving him the chills.

**Shiro glanced through a window while being dragged. Through windows were strange Galra rooms. The screen went dark once more. The moon came into view once again, but the words were, "One Year Later". The camera view went backwards until it became what looked like the cockpit of a ship.**

Keith frowned. "There was another mission to there?" Lance, Hunk, and Pidge didn't reply, looking embarrassed.

**"Galaxy Garrison flight log 5-11-14. Begin descent to Kerberos for rescue mission." The voice was quite obviously Lance.**

Keith smirked. "Oh I am going to enjoy this."

**Hunk appears sitting in a chair behind Lance, he groans. "Lance, can you keep this thing straight?" He asks, looking sick. "Relax, Hunk, I'm just getting a feel for the stick. It's not like I did this." The 'ship' jolts forward, and Hunk groans. "Or this." The ship jolts sideways. Hunk gets thrown around in his chair.**

"Ugh, you were totally terrible at that simulation." Pidge complained, rubbing her forehead with two fingers. She sounded pleased. Lance rolled his eyes. "I was not. You guys were." Hunk and Pidge met each other's glance in a silent conversation.

**"Okay, unless you want to wipe beef stroganoff out of all the little nooks and crannies in this thing, you better knock it off, man!"**

Everyone laughed.

**The camera turned to Pidge, with a hologram in front of her. "We've picked up a distress beacon!"**

Keith frowned. "I hated the simulations." Lance turned to him with a strange look on his face. "But you were great at them! You must have practiced all the time." Lance crossed his arms. Keith shook his head with a thoughtful expression. "No, but I did fly with Shiro a lot before...you know." Keith trailed off, uncomfortable.

**"Alright, look alive, team! Pidge, track coordinates." Lance said.**

**"Copy."**

**The camera switched back to Hunk. "Knock it off, Lance! Please!"**

"You were a terrible pilot. Why?" Coran asked, playing with his mustache as he turned to look at Lance. Lance gasped, offended. Pidge giggled.

**Lance turned around. "This one's on you, buddy. We've got a hydraulic stabilizer out." Hunk pulled down his board and started working, before gagging.**

"Gross, Hunk. You couldn't wait to puke before the simulation was over?" Keith asked, smiling playfully. Hunk opened his mouth to respond but there was really no good defense for that. Keith laughed, and Lance looked away before the boy could see his blush.

**"Oh no."**

**"Oh, no. Fix now, puke later."**

**Pidge spoke up, "I lost contact. The shaking is interfering with our sensors."**

Allura couldn't help but laugh.

**"Come on, Hunk!" Lance complained. Hunk continued typing on his board. "It's not responding!" Hunk got up from his seat with a moan. Lance interrupted him. "Oh, never mind, fellas. Thar she blows. Preparing for approach on visual."**

"That is stupid, Lance." Allura whispered. No one heard.

**"I don't think that's advisable with our current mechanical and gastrointestinal issues." Pidge glanced at Hunk.**

The team laughed, even Shiro, who had been quite silent before.

**"Agreed." Hunk moaned. Lance rolled his eyes. "Stop worrying. This baby can take it, can't you, champ?" Lance patted the ship. The ship made a bad rumbling noise. Lance pulled back with a concerned expression. "See? She was nodding. She was just nodding."**

Keith ran a hand through his hair. "You really were a bad pilot."

**"Pidge, hail down to them and let them know their ride is here."**

**"Attention, Lunar Vessel--" She fell backwards with a scream.**

**"Attention, Lunar Vessel, this is Galaxy Garrison Rescue Craft One Victor Six Three Tango. Coming in for landing and extracting, against crew recommendations."  
**

**“Look out for that overhang!” Pidge called.**

**“No worries. My first year in flight school, know what they called me? They called me “The Tailor” because of how I thread the needle.”**

**The ship tilted sideways as they flew. Lance attempted to avoid the overhang. “Come on, come on. Come around..and..” The ship hit the overhang and everything turned to static.**

"Oh yeah...you were always great at DOING WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO!" Pidge shouted at Lance, but then pulled back with a small smirk.

**Hunk stared down at a board that said in red letters, "DANGER".**

**"We lost a wing!"**

**Lance frowned. "Oh, man..." The ship crashed directly into the ice.**

**The ship screen turned black. A disembodied female voice said, "Simulation Failed."**

**"Nice work, Tailor." Pidge deadpanned.**

****

**"Let's see if we can't use this complete failure as a lesson for the rest of you students." The man shouted. "Can anyone point out the mistakes these three so-called cadets made in the simulator?"**

"I forgot how harsh that guy was." Keith murmured, glancing sympathetically at Pidge, Hunk, and Lance.

**A boy raised his hand. "The engineer puked in the main gear box." Hunk looked down at his feet.**

**"Yes, as everyone knows, vomit is not an approved lubricant for engine systems. What else?"**

Pidge shrugged. "He wasn't wrong."

**"The comm spec removed his safety harness."**

**"The pilot crashed!"**

**"Correct, and worst of all, the whole jump, they're arguing with each other."**

Shiro put on his space dad expression and turned to the three. "I certainly hope you learned from the experience." Lance, Hunk, and Pidge just laughed. Shiro attempting to dad them was hilarious.

**"Heck, if you're going to be this bad individually, you'd better at least be able to work as a team!" The man straightened up. "The Galaxy Garrison exists to turn young cadets like you into the next generation of elite astroexplorers, but these kinds of mental mistakes are exactly what cost the lives of the men on the Kerberos Mission."**

Shiro stiffened, as did Pidge.

**Pidge straightened, her eyes widening. "That's not true, sir!"**

**"What did you say?!?"**

Keith smiled softly at Pidge, and she smiled right back at him.

**Lance covered her mouth before she could speak again. "Sorry, sir. I think he hit his head when he fell out of his chair. But point taken."**

"I did not hit my head." Pidge growled.

**"I hope I don't need to remind you that the only reason you're here is that the best pilot of your class had a discipline issue and flunked out. Don't follow in his footsteps."**

Keith stiffened before staring down at his feet. Lance contemplated talking to him, but ended up stopping himself.

**"Next!"**

"Man, that guy was a jerk." Hunk murmured, stretching his legs.

**The camera switched to the halls of the Garrison. "Lights out in five! Everyone back to their dorms, now."**

**Lance and Hunk hid behind a wall as the man walked away from them. "We shouldn't be doing this."**

"Well, if you hadn't, Voltron might not have started." Shiro said.

**"You heard Commander Iverson, we need to bond as a team. We're going to grab Pidge, hit the town, loosen up, meet some nice girls--" The lights turned off. Hunk said, "Okay, I'm just saying this here, right now, on the record. This is a bad idea."**

**Lance and Hunk snuck across the hall to a different hallway. They continued down that hall until they saw a window into another room, with people inside.**

"The Garrison was huge, I kind of forgot that." Keith shrugged.

**"You know, for someone in a space exploration program, you don't have much of a sense of adventure." Lance said, crouching beside the window.**

**"All of your little adventures end up with me in the principal's office."**

**Lance and Hunk crawled underneath the windowsill so no one could see them.**

"I'm flattered you guys went through this to find me." Pidge laughed.

**The camera switched to two trash cans. A guard walked past. "L-5 North all clear." Lance climbed quickly out of the blue trash can, and Hunk struggled to get out of the yellow trash can until he fell over and crawled out. "I'm fine."**

The team laughed, except for Allura and Coran, who looked concerned.

**Lance and Hunk continued walking until a door opened and Lance pushed Hunk down the opposite hall. Pidge walked out of the room. Lance glared after her. "Where is he going?"**

"Ooh, it's me." Pidge joked.

**The camera switched to Pidge on the roof, with a ton of electronics surrounding her. Lance snuck up behind her and softly pulled her headphones off. "You come up here to rock out?" He said near her ear. She screamed, jumping away from him.**

"That is super creepy, Lance." Keith said to the boy.

**"Oh, Lance, Hunk. No, I was just looking at the stars." Hunk crawled toward her.**

**Lance frowned at the equipment. "Where'd you get this stuff? It doesn't look like Garrison tech."**

"Let me guess, you built it." Shiro teased.

**"I built it."**

"oh." Shiro said.

**Hunk attempted to touch the equipment. "You built all this?"**

**Pidge slapped his hand away. "Stop it! With this thing, I can scan all the way to the edge of the solar system."**

"That is...impressive?" Allura tried, but sounded far too unimpressed. Pidge scoffed. "It was impressive at the time, until I got ahold of better tech."

**Lance put a hand under his chin. "That right? All the way to Kerberos?"**

**Pidge shrunk away.**

**"You go ballistic every time the instructors bring it up. What's your deal?"**

Lance chuckled nervously. "Sorry I was kind of a jerk about that." He ran a hand through his hair. Pidge smiled. "You didn't know."

**Hunk touched the equipment again. "Second warning, Hunk."**

Keith smiled. "He is very touchy."

**Lance spoke again. "Look, Pidge. If we're going to bond as a team, we can't have any secrets."**

Allura and Coran waited anxiously to see if Pidge would tell them.

**"Fine. The world as you know it is about to change. The Kerberos mission wasn't lost because of some malfunction or crew mistake."**

**Hunk's hand slowly floated toward the equipment.**

**"STOP TOUCHING MY EQUIPMENT!"**

The whole team, minus Pidge, moved away from the screen in fear. "Holy-"

**Pidge continued. "So I've been scanning the system and picking up radio alien chatter."**

**Hunk flung up. "Woah, what? Aliens?"**

Allura smiled at Hunk and waved.

**Lance crossed his arms. "Okay. So you're insane. Got it."**

Pidge glared at Lance. "I forgot you said that."

**"I'm serious! They keep repeating one word. Voltron."**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's where I'm leaving off for right now. It may take me a couple days at a time to get these chapters out, considering I do have school and I'd have to watch the episode and narrate everything. I hope you all understand! Thanks for reading. :) The next episode/chapter will be out later today or tomorrow.


	3. The Rise of Voltron (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Please read last chapter if you haven't yet. (maybe you skipped to this chapter? how do I know?)
> 
> Also, this chapter is going to be extra long. Grab a snack, this took me hours and a lot of writing. And I mean, it is VERY long. There will still be a part 3 and possibly part 4 though. This first episode is incredibly long compared to the others and has a lot of things to write. Seriously, I am only like 20 minutes into the hour long episode. There is 47 minutes left.

"Voltron! That makes perfect sense. Good job with that tech, Pidge." Coran complimented her, pulling on the end of his mustache. Pidge smiled to herself, feeling proud.

**"And tonight it is going crazier than I have ever heard it."**

**"How crazy?"**

**The PA system turned on behind them. "Attention students, this is not a drill. We are on lockdown. Security Situation Zulu Niner. Repeat: All students are to remain in barracks until further notice."**

"That was good timing." Shiro said.

**The camera turned back to Hunk, Lance, and Pidge, all looking confused. "What's going on?" Hunk asked, before turning to his side and pointing at the sky. "Is that a meteor? A very, very big meteor?"**

**A giant spaceship was hurtling toward Earth, leaving behind a trail of orange light.**

Allura's eyes narrowed. "Galra."

**Pidge grabbed a pair of high tech binoculars and looked at it. "It's a ship!"**

**Lance pulled the binoculars away from her and looked through them as well. "Holy crow!"**

Keith chuckled. "Holy crow? Really?" He poked Lance in the side. Lance glared at him. "I was in a high stress situation, don't make fun of me!" He blushed, turning back to the screen.

**"I can't believe what I'm seeing! That's not one of ours."**

**Pidge interrupted. "No. It's one of theirs."**

Coran leaned forward a bit.

**"So, wait. There really is aliens out there?" Hunk stared wide eyed as the ship crashed into the ground a while away from the Garrison.**

Allura and Coran glared at Hunk. "Why do you keep acting like that's so strange?"

**Three patrol cars lit up and began heading to the site of the crash.**

"As if they were any help at all." Shiro grumbled, rolling his eyes. Keith smiled knowingly.

**Lance and Pidge got up immediately. "We've got to see that ship!"**

Shiro shook his head disapprovingly. "Pidge, you should know better than to willingly put yourself into danger." Pidge didn't reply.

**"Hunk, come on!" Lance called as he ran after Pidge.**

**Hunk reluctantly followed. "This is the worst team building exercise ever."**

**The scene changed to the site of the crash, with Hunk, Lance, and Pidge on the hill watching with binoculars. Lance used the binoculars to zoom in on the ship.**

**"Woah, what the heck is that thing?"**

Keith crossed his arms. "If only we'd known then what we know now..." His voice was distant, too calm.

**Lance zoomed in on a female garrison member. "And who the heck is she?"**

The team groaned as Lance attempted to hide his face in his knees.

**"Lance!" Pidge complained, hitting him. "Ow! Right, alien ship." Lance zoomed out a bit more.**

**"Man, we'll never get past all those guards to get a look."**

Coran spoke suddenly. "Didn't the strange voice tell you all to go into your barracks? Did you disobey it?"

The team decided it would be better not to answer.

**"Aw, man. Yeah, yeah, guess there's nothing to do but head back to the barracks, right?" Hunk shrugged his shoulders.**

Hunk blushed. "At least I'm not so wimpy now."

**"Wait! They set up a camera in there and I grabbed it's feed. Look!"**

Lance smiled at Pidge. "Even then you were already doing things you weren't supposed to."

**The three leaned in around the camera feed to watch.**

**It was a video of Shiro, strapped to table with three people in strange suits around him.**

"Yeah, not fun." Shiro commented, half-smiling.

**"Hey, what are you doing?"**

**"Calm down, Shiro. We just need to get you quarantined until we run some tests."**

Keith shivered. "Never liked those guys."

**"You have to listen to me! They destroy worlds! Aliens are coming!"**

Allura shook her head. "If only they had. Maybe they would have been more prepared for the Galra."

**Lance pointed at the video. "Look! That's Shiro. The pilot of the Kerberos Mission! That guy's my hero!"**

Shiro smiled at Lance, who pointedly looked away. "I'm flattered, Lance."

**"Guess he's not dead in space after all." Hunk muttered to himself.**

**"Where's the rest of the crew?" Pidge murmured, frowning.**

Pidge looked away from the screen.

**They continued to watch the feed.**

"Nosy." Shiro joked.

**"Do you know how long you've been gone?"**

**"I don't know. Months? Years? Look, there's no time! Aliens are coming here for a weapon. They're probably on their way! They'll destroy us, we have to find Voltron."**

Allura smiled. "Good thinking, Shiro."

**The scene cut back to Pidge, Hunk and Lance.**

**"Voltron!" Pidge exclaimed.**

"I have to admit how impressive it is that you knew all this before anyone else did." Keith said to Pidge, smiling genuinely. Pidge seemed shocked, but smiled back.

**They began to watch the feed again.**

**"Sir, look at this. His arm has been replaced by a cyborg prosthetic."**

**"Put him under until we know what that thing can do."**

Keith gasped. "So that's why you were unconscious."

**Shiro began struggling. "No! Don't put me under, no, there's no time!"**

Allura put a hand on Shiro's shoulder. "Thank you for trying, Shiro. You truly are a hero, through and through."

**"They didn't ask about the rest of the crew." Pidge whispered.**

**Lance raised an eyebrow. "What are they doing? He's a legend and they're not even going to listen to him?"**

Shiro looked confused. "A legend?"

**Pidge turned to Lance. "We have to get him out."**

Keith smirked at Pidge. "Beat you to it."

**Hunk stood up. "Uh, I hate to be the voice of reason, always, but weren't we watching on TV because there was no way to get past the guards?"**

Coran ran another hand across his mustache. "He's correct."

**Lance looked up at his friend. "That was before we were properly motivated. We just got to think. Could we tunnel in?"**

Keith scoffed. "Oh yeah, because that wouldn't take an incredibly long time."

**"Maybe we could get some hazmat suits and sneak in like med techs?" Pidge smiled.**

**Hunk raised one finger. "Or, we could dress up like cooks, head back to the dorms, sneak into the commissary--little late night snack."**

Lance rolled his eyes. "Even at a moment like that."

**Lance frowned. "Yeah, no. What we need is a distraction."**

**They screamed as several bombs went off in the nearby mountains.**

Keith smirked.

**"Is that the aliens? Is that the aliens?! Are they here? They got here so quick!"**

Keith poked Lance, and then poked Hunk, smirking widely.

**"No, those explosions were a distraction. For him."**

**The scene cut to the patrol cars driving toward the explosion, and a small flying ship flying toward the site of the crash.**

Shiro rolled his eyes affectionately. "And I bet it was Keith, huh?"

**"The Garrison's headed toward the blast, and he's sneaking in from the other side." Pidge pointed out.**

**Lance put on the binoculars to see Keith running toward the crash site.**

"Called it." Shiro muttered, smiling at Keith.

**"No way! Oh, he is not going to beat us in there. That guy is always trying to one-up me."**

Keith frowned. "No I wasn't?"

**Lance took the binoculars off and started running down the hill.**

**"Who is it?"**

**"Keith!"**

Allura laughed to herself. "The rivalry did NOT start with Voltron! That makes me happy, at least I didn't cause that."

**Hunk ran after Lance. "Are you sure?"**

**Pidge stood up. "Who?"**

Keith smirked at Pidge. "I am offended that you didn't know me."

**Lance called back to Hunk. "Oh, I'd recognize that mullet anywhere!"**

Keith glared at Lance, who was blushing bright red for an unknown reason. Maybe he felt bad.

**Pidge ran after them, asking again. "Who's Keith?"**

**The three slid down the hill and ran.**

"You didn't really think that through, did you?" Shiro asked.

**The scene changed to inside the small crash site. Keith opened a metal door, wearing a bandana over most of his face.**

Hunk poked Lance teasingly, a knowing look on his face as Lance blushed harder.

**"Hey!" A man shouted as everyone in the room raced at Keith.**

**Keith got into a fighting position and flung one man across the room into a table.**

"Holy shit." Lance whispered.

**He knocked another man over the other table. He punched the other man hard enough to knock him into the table Shiro was on and knock him out.**

Allura blinked a few times. "That was...impressive, for lack of better words." She smiled at Keith a bit nervously. He smirked pridefully.

**Keith ran over to the table, pulling his bandana off and looking at Shiro's face. Keith's face paled. "Shiro...?"**

Shiro smiled at Keith sadly, and reached over to put a hand on his shoulder.

**Keith pulled out a knife and cut the bonds off Shiro, pulling him up by his arm and wrapping his arm around his shoulder.**

"Of course he had a knife." Hunk teased.

**Hunk, Pidge, and Lance walked in. "No, no, nope-no you don't. I'm saving Shiro."**

Shiro chuckled. "Not a competition."

**Lance pushed the table out of his way and wrapped Shiro's other arm around his shoulder.**

**Keith frowned. "Who are you?"**

Pidge burst out laughing.

**"Who am I? Uh, the name is Lance." He blinked a couple times, waiting for a reaction.**

Hunk nudged Lance. "He says that when he flirts with people."

Lance blushed a bright red and shoved Hunk. "I DO NOT!"

**"We were in the same class at the Garrison."**

**Keith blinked. "Really? Are you an engineer?"**

Pidge continued laughing, leaning on Shiro for support.

**Lance looked more annoyed by the moment. "No! I'm a pilot. We were like, rivals. You know, Lance and Keith, neck and neck."**

Keith chuckled to himself. "Yeah, to be honest, I hardly noticed you back then."

**Keith's frown deepened. "Oh, yeah, I remember you. You're a cargo pilot."**

Pidge let out a barking laugh and slammed her head against Shiro's shoulder multiple times.

**Lance glared. "Well, not anymore. I'm fighter class now, thanks to you washing out."**

**"Well, congratulations."**

Pidge gasped for air as she tried to stop laughing. Allura and Coran looked very amused by the whole scene.

**Keith and Lance lifted Shiro and walked out.**

**Hunk lifted binoculars to see the Garrison members running back from the explosion area holding guns. "Oh, man, they're coming back and they do not look happy."**

Allura smiled. "I'm glad you all were able to escape that place unharmed. Those men looked dangerous."

**The group headed for Keith's ship-car-thing. "Hey, mind if we catch a ride with you?"**

(I'm going to call it a plane)

**As Hunk climbed on, the plane tipped backward. Pidge yelped, "Is this thing going to be big enough for all of us?"**

**Keith frowned. "No."**

Coran stared at the screen. "That is far too small for your weights combined."

**The Garrison patrol cars came into view. Keith started the plane and it lifted off the ground, flying off. Pidge and Hunk held up Shiro. "Why am I holding this guy?"**

Shiro rolled his eyes.

**"Hey, we did all fit." Hunk commented, holding onto the back of the plane.**

Keith rolled his eyes and smiled at the memory. "Barely."

**Lance turned around to look at the patrol cars, which were gaining on them. "Can't this thing go any faster?"**

**Keith was staring straight ahead with determination when he replied, "We could toss out some non-essential weight."**

Allura laughed. "I understand the insult!"

**"Oh, right!" Lance looked around before realizing. "Okay, so that was an insult. I get it."**

Shiro smiled. "Did you though?"

**As the patrol cars neared, Keith yelled, "Big man, lean left!"**

**Hunk leaned left and the whole plane tilted left with him.**

Shiro turned to Hunk. "Well, at least you helped." He smiled genuinely.

**One of the patrol cars hit a bump and flipped over.**

Lance blinked. "Honestly that was terrifying to see."

**"Aw, man, Mr. Harris just wiped out Professor Montgomery! No, no, he's fine."**

Coran and Allura smiled. "It was kind of you to think of your advisors."

**"Big man, lean right!"**

Hunk frowned. "At the time I didn't notice the name, but that's kind of mean." Keith ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I'm really sorry about that Hunk. I was stressed and frustrated. I didn't mean to insult you."

**Hunk leaned right and the plane flew off the edge of a cliff to the other cliff close by. The group screamed loudly before hitting solid ground again.**

Shiro looked at Keith. "I'm glad I wasn't conscious at the time. You drive like a lunatic."

**The patrol cars followed easily until one wiped out on the side.**

"Those poor people..." Allura whispered.

**Hunk pointed ahead. "Guys, is that a cliff up ahead?"**

"It was, wasn't it?" Shiro put his head in his hands.

**The group held on tighter to the plane. "Oh, no, no, no, no!" Lance stammered.**

Coran frowned. "That seems dangerous, doesn't it?"

**Keith leaned forward with a smile. "Yep."**

**The group continued protesting until the plane flew off the edge of the cliff and started falling.**

"Keith! That is highly dangerous, someone could have gotten hurt." Allura pointed out.

**The entire group except for Keith and obviously Shiro, started screaming at the top of their lungs. The patrol car stopped at the top of the cliff.**

"At least the car couldn't get us." Shiro ran straightened a piece of his hair.

**"What are you doing? You're going to kill us all!"**

**"Shut up and trust me!"**

Keith leaned back in his chair with a smirk, looking satisfied.

**Keith tilted the plain back and started the boosters on the bottom, saving them just before they hit the ground.**

Coran nodded a few times. "That was a very high skill technique. Good job, Keith."

**The plane shot across the rocks. The scene changed to Keith's shack in the middle of the desert.**

Keith looked away from the screen, eyes closed.

**Keith walked up the small hill to stand next to Shiro. He put his hand on Shiro's shoulder. "It's good to have you back."**

Allura whispered to Coran. "Aw."

**"It's good to be back." Shiro replied.**

**"So what happened out there? Where were you?"**

**"I wish I could tell you. My head's still pretty scrambled. I was on an alien ship, but somehow I escaped. It's all a blur."**

Keith finally looked back at the screen.

**Shiro turned to Keith. "How did you know to come save me when I crashed?"**

Coran nodded. "I would like to know that as well."

**Keith looked up at Shiro. "You should come see this."**

**The scene changed to the inside of the shack, with the whole group watching as Keith pulled a sheet off something on the wall.**

Allura and Coran leaned forward, waiting to see what it was.

**"What have you been working on?" Shiro asked. His voice sounded shocked.**

**"I can't explain it, really." Keith said. "After getting booted from the Garrison, I was kind of lost and found myself drawn out to this place. It's like something...some energy, was telling me to search."**

Allura nodded thoughtfully, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "That does make sense, I suppose."

**"For what?"**

**"Well, I didn't really know at the time...until I stumbled across this area." Keith pointed at a place on the map labeled, "ENERGY SOURCE" with a big, black circle around it.**

Allura frowned, tilting her head to the side.

**"It's an outcropping of giant boulders with caves covered in these ancient markings." The camera panned over several photographs of lions carved into stone, cave walls.**

Allura straightened a bit. "I was unaware of that. That is indeed interesting." Coran nodded along.

**"Each tells a slightly different story about a blue lion, but they all share clues leading to some event, some arrival happening last night. Then, you showed up." Keith turned to look at Shiro.**

Shiro smiled at the screen.

**Shiro turned to the rest of the group. "I should thank you all for getting me out. Lance, right?" Shiro walked over, offering his hand for Lance to shake. Lance hesitated before shaking it.**

Shiro hadn't noticed the hesitation until then, and frowned.

**Shiro shook hands with Pidge. "The nervous guy is Hunk, I'm Pidge."**

Hunk turned to glare at Pidge.

**Pidge pulled her hand away and looked up at Shiro. "So, did anyone else from your crew make it out?"**

**Shiro looked away. "I'm not sure. I remember the mission and being captured. After that, it's just bits and pieces."**

Coran turned to Shiro. "That is understandable, for sure."

**Hunk lifted up two fingers. "Yeah, sorry to interrupt, but back to the aliens. Where are they now? Are they coming? Are they coming for us? Where are they at this very moment?"**

Allura put her fingers up to her forehead and rubbed. "I'm sorry, but that is getting quite annoying."

**Shiro looked down. "I can't really put it together. I remember the word "Voltron". It's some kind of weapon they're looking for, but I don't know why. Whatever it is, I think we need to find it before they do."**

Allura looked at Coran and then at the paladins. "You were all very helpful in forming Voltron again and saving the universe. Thank you all for that."

**Hunk started sorting through his bag. "Well, last night I was rummaging through Pidge's stuff, and I found this picture." He held up a picture of Matt and Pidge, but what at the time they thought was Pidge and a girl. "Look, it's his girlfriend." He chuckled.**

Coran groaned to himself, slightly annoyed with the yellow paladin.

**Pidge grabbed the picture. "Hey, give me that! What were you doing in my stuff?" Pidge grabbed the bag and put the picture bag inside.**

**Hunk looked away. "Well, I was looking for a candy bar. But, then, I started reading his diary." Hunk pulled the diary out of his back pocket.**

Allura glared at Hunk. "That is very rude, mind your manners."

**Pidge looked startled. "What?!?" She grabbed the diary.**

**Hunk ignored her and turned to the group. "And I noticed the repeating series of numbers the aliens are searching for looks a lot like a Fraunhofer line."**

Coran frowned. "Is that an Earth thing?"

**Keith looked at Hunk. "Frown who?"**

Pidge giggled.

**Hunk turned to glare at Keith. "It's a number describing the emission spectrum of an element, only, this element doesn't exist on Earth. I thought it might be this Voltron and I think I can build a machine to look for it, like a Voltron Geiger counter."**

Allura thought it over for a moment. "That is...very intelligent, actually."

**Lance crossed his arms over his chest and smiled. "Hunk, you big, gassy genius!"**

**Hunk smiled. "It's pretty fascinating, really. The wavelength looks like this." He pulls a paper with a graph on it out of his coat pocket and presents it to the group.**

Pidge smiles. "That was a really good idea, Hunk."

**Keith grabs the paper. "Give me that." He walks over to the picture of the mountains and holds the graph up to it. It fit perfectly.**

Allura and Shiro smiled at the paladins, feeling proud.

**The scene changed to the group standing in front of the mountains in the picture. Lance looked around. "Okay, I admit it. This is super freaky."**

**Hunk shoved Pidge by accident. "I'm getting a reading." He walked with his machine, Pidge trailing behind him to help hold the rest of the equipment.**

Lance smiled and leaned back in his chair. "That day was kind of fun, huh?"

**The group followed Hunk and Pidge. As they walked closer to a cave, the machine started beeping loudly and picking up a better reading.**

**The group walked into a cave, with carvings of lions on the walls. "What are these?" Shiro asked, as the rest of the group stared in awe.**

Pidge nodded, a soft smile on her face. "It was very pretty in there, I won't lie."

**"These are the lion carvings I was telling you about." Keith replied, his voice echoing. "They're everywhere around here."**

**Lance walked over to one of the walls, examining a carving. He placed his hand on it, wiping some dust off. As soon as he did, the carving began to glow blue. "Woah!" Lance exclaimed, jumping back.**

Allura smiled widely at the screen. "The markings recognized you as the blue paladin. That is amazing."

**All the carvings in the cave began to glow blue. "They've never done that before." Keith told them. The ground underneath them cracked and started glowing blue as well.**

Hunk glanced away from the screen with a small smile. "That was terrifying. I still have nightmares, haha."

**The ground collapsed underneath them and they fell with a flow of water. Pidge was on top of Hunk's head, pulling his hair to hold on.**

The team laughed.

**They landed in a pool of water and Lance pushed himself up into a sitting position. In front of him was the blue lion, with a particle barrier around it. "Wait..." He gasped.**

**The team stood up to look at it. "Is this it? Is the Voltron?" Pidge asked.**

Allura laughed to herself. "It would have been very weak if it was." Shiro chuckled with her.

**"It...must be." Shiro whispered.**

**"This is what's been causing all that crazy energy out there." Keith added before running up to it. "It looks like it has a force field around it."**

"Force field indeed." Allura laughed and Coran laughed too.

**Lance tilted from side to side. "Does anyone else get the feeling this is staring at them?"**

**Shiro hummed to himself. "No."**

**Lance moved again. "Yeah, the eyes are totally following me."**

As everyone else laughed, Lance pointed at the screen, pouting. "It totally was!"

**Keith reached the forcefield and stared up at the lion, placing his hands on the forcefield. "I wonder how we get through this."**

**Lance walked up to the forcefield as well. "Maybe you just have to knock." He knocked twice on the forcefield before it disappeared completely and the ground underneath the lion began to glow.**

**There was a brief flash of Voltron being formed with the lions, and creating a giant flame sword.**

"Little did we know that was exactly what would happen." Keith murmured.

**"Woah." The team said in unison. Lance turned around. "Uh, did everyone just see that?"**

**Hunk shouted, "Voltron is a robot! Voltron is a huge, huge, awesome robot!"**

Shiro and Allura laughed.

**Pidge added, "And this thing is only part of it! I wonder where the rest of them are."**

**Shiro glared up at the lion. "This is what they're looking for." Keith continued to stare at the robot when he said, "Incredible."**

Lance blushed at the wonder-filled tone Keith had.

**The lion moved forward and bent down so it's mouth was level with the group. Keith and Shiro got into a fighting stance while Lance just stared, and Hunk and Pidge started whimpering, leaning away.**

"Why were you frightened of the lion? They're your allies." Allura asked, frowning.

**The lion's mouth opened and let down a ramp for them to walk up. Lance chuckled to himself before running on board and sitting in the pilot seat. He made a satisfied humming noise and crossed his legs. "Here we go."**

**The seat suddenly moved forward quickly and Lance let out a startled yelp. The cockpit lit up as everyone walked in.**

"You totally deserved that." Keith commented.

**Lance laughed joyfully as he could see through the glass. "Alright! Very nice."**

Shiro whispered something Allura, and she stifled a giggle.

**Hunk turned back to the group. "Okay, guys, I feel the need to point out, just so we're all aware. We're in some futuristic alien cat head right now."**

**Lance straightened up suddenly, a strange noise filling the room. "Woah, did you guys hear that?"**

**"Hear what?" Keith asked.**

Pidge chuckled to herself, crossing her legs.

**"I think it's talking to me." Lance leaned forward and typed something into the keypad experimentally. The lion stood up in the cave and roared, scaring Hunk and Pidge.**

**Lance grabbed the sticks and smirked. "Okay, got it. Now, let's try this." He pushed the sticks forward and the lion broke out of the cave walls and flew out, doing a flip, and then blasting up off the ground before it crashed.**

Allura stared in shock. "That doesn't look very safe. No one else was buckled in."

**The lion shot upward quickly and turned to the side. Inside the cockpit, Lance was being grabbed onto by Lance and Pidge. Keith and Shiro were holding onto the ceiling. Everyone looked terrified.**

**The lion did another flip as Keith panted out the words, "You are the worst pilot ever."**

Lance and Keith chuckled, glancing at each other before quickly looking away.

**Lance sped up the lion and it switched back to the cockpit. Lance was leaning back in his seat, Pidge was holding onto his arm, Hunk was grabbing onto his other arm with tears in his eyes. Keith had curled in on himself and was gripping the seat with one hand, and Shiro was leaning on the seat as well.**

Lance blushed. "Yeah...uh...sorry about that guys."

**The scene changed to Iverson and some other Garrison member holding binoculars while watching the blue lion flip in the sky. "What in the sam hill is that?" Iverson asked the other man, eyes wide. "It appears to be a flying blue lion, sir." The other man replied, scratching the side of his face.**

The team laughed at the two.

**The scene changed back to the blue lion bounding across the ground. Inside the cockpit, Lance turned around. "Isn't this awesome?"**

**"Make it stop, make it stop!" Hunk begged, tears still in his eyes. Lance smiled. "I'm not making it do anything. It's like it's on autopilot."**

Hunk looked like he was getting sick just from watching it happen again.

**The lion blasted off the ground again. "Where are you going?!?" Keith exclaimed.**

**"I _said_ it's on autopilot! It says there's an alien ship approaching Earth. I think we're supposed to stop it."**

Allura turned to Coran. "I wish Lance still had the blue lion. It is clear they had a strong bond."

**Pidge glared at Lance. "What did it say, exactly?"**

**Lance turned to her with a frown. "Well it's not like it's saying words. It's more feeding ideas into my brain, kind of."**

Pidge and Lance laughed. "Why did you even trust me when I said that? That sounds insane even now."

**Hunk turned to Lance. "If this thing is the weapon they're coming for, why don't we just, I don't know, give it to them? Maybe they'll leave us alone. Sorry, lion, nothing personal."**

Allura and Coran gasped. "Hunk, you can't just give the Galra the lions!" Hunk raised his hands in surrender. "I know that now! I just didn't then."

**Shiro glared at Hunk. "You don't understand. These monsters spread like a plague throughout the galaxy, destroying everything in their path. There's no bargaining with them. They won't stop until everything is dead."**

Allura smiled at Shiro. "Thank you."

**The rest of the group looked at Hunk with annoyed expressions. Hunk looked down. "Oh. Never mind then."**

**The lion continued flying away from Earth until a Galra ship appeared in front of them.**

"And that was the moment we knew...we fucked up." Pidge said in a narrator voice. Everyone laughed.

**The group stared in horror. Hunk gasped. "Holy crow, is that really an alien ship?"**

Keith laughed. "Again with the holy crow?"

**Shiro stared at the ship. "They found me." The ship began firing lasers at the lion. "We have to get out of here!" Pidge shouted.**

**"Hold on!" Lance called, dodging blast after blast. "Okay, okay! I think I know what to do!"**

Lance chuckled. "I kind of didn't."

**Pidge glared. "Be careful, man! This isn't a simulator." Lance laughed. "Well, that's good, I always wrecked the simulator."**

Keith rolled his eyes. "Why did we trust you again?"

**The blue lion shot a laser out and cut a long stripe of the Galra ship. "Let's try this." Lance said confidently. He pulled the gear sticks back and the lion flew at the ship, using it's claws to cut through the side.**

**"Nice job, Lance." Shiro commented.**

**"I think it's time to get these guys away from our planet."**

"Well, at least we did well at something, if not the simulator." Hunk laughed.

**A galra appeared on screen. "Lord Zarkon, the escaped prisoner and his people found the lion. It attacked us and is heading out of the system."**

**Zarkon replied, "Follow that lion and alert all ships in the area to intercept. Capturing that lion is your first and only priority."**

**The Galra nodded. "Yes, your majesty. Full power after the lion!"**

**The ship blasted after the lion.**

**"Oh, no!"**

**"They're gaining on us."**

**"It's weird. They're not trying to shoot. They're just chasing."**

**"Okay, seriously, now we think having aliens follow us is good? I am not on board with this new direction, guys." Hunk complained.**

**"Where are we?" Keith demanded.**

**Shiro looked to the side. "The edge of the solar system. There's Kerberos."**

**"It takes months for our ships to get this far. We got out here in five seconds!" Pidge exclaimed.**

**A giant wormhole appeared directly before the lion.**

**"Uh, what is that?"**

**"It may seem crazy, but I think the lion wants us to go through there!"**

"Honestly though, Lance. I know it was actually the good thing to do, but did you really think about that?" Keith asked him with a smirk.

**"...Where does it go?" Pidge asked.**

**Lance glanced at Pidge. "I-I don't know. Shiro, you're the senior officer here. What should we do?" He looked up at Shiro.**

**Shiro looked down. "Whatever is happening, the lion knows more than we do. I say we trust it, but we're a team now, we should decide together."**

**The team glared straight ahead and Pidge put a hand on Lance's shoulder.**

**Lance turned his gaze in front of him. "Okay...guess we're all ditching class tomorrow." The lion flew straight into the wormhole, and it closed behind them just before the Galra could get through.**

"Worth it." Hunk commented.

**The lion flew at an incredibly fast speed and the team braced themselves on walls or the chair.**

**As soon as the lion stopped, Hunk turned to the side and threw up. The team stared at him in disgust.**

**"So sorry." He whispered.**

**"I'm just surprised it took this long." Pidge commented.**

"Took so long? That took mere moments." Coran interrupted.

**Shiro looked around. "I don't recognize any of these constellations. We must be a long, long way from Earth."**

**Lance said, "The lion seems to want to go to this planet. I think...I think it's going home."**

**The lion flew swiftly toward the planet and entered the atmosphere.**

**In the cockpit, everyone was huddled around the seat.**

**"Everyone, person space. Hunk, your breath is killing me." Lance joked.**

**"Um, is it just me or is anyone having second thoughts about flying through a mysterious wormhole? Why are we listening to a robotic lion anyway?" Hunk asked.**

"I would have no second thoughts." Allura crossed her arms.

**“It got us away from that alien warship, didn’t it?” Lance replied.**

**The screen zoomed in on Keith's face, specifically his eyes. "I don't know if you noticed but we're in an alien warship."**

Lance blushed at the sight of Keith.

**"Aw, are you scared?" Lance teased.**

**"With you at the helm, terrified." Keith grumbled.**

**"Okay, knock it off." Shiro commanded.**

Shiro looked away from the screen, embarrassed at his own harsh tone.

**"No one's happy to be in this situation, but we're here now. If we want to get through this, we've got to do it together." Shiro added.**

**"So, what we do?" Pidge looked at the others.**

**Shiro looked down. "First, we find out where we're headed. Lance?"**

**The pilot looked down. "I don't know. I'm sorry. The lion's not talking to me anymore. Wait, wait, wait, shh!"**

The team, except for Allura and Coran, groaned. They knew where this was going.

**"Listen. I think I hear something."**

**Keith looked around. "I'm hearing it too."**

**There was a squeaking noise.**

**Hunk started looking around too. "It's kind of a...high pitched squeaking squeal?"**

**The sound became a far more obvious fart and everyone on the screen wrinkled their nose.**

Allura glared at the paladin. "Lance, that is highly inappropriate. Especially for the moment."

(space mom)

**Everyone groaned and covered their mouths. Lance smirked. "Come on, Lance!" They all said in unison.**

**"But, seriously. There's a castle up ahead." Lance told them. The scene changed to the Altean castle from different angles. The lion's eyes glowed yellow as it slowly began to land in front of the castle, and the top of the castle glowed blue.**

"The land of Altea looks just as beautiful as I remembered." Coran said to Allura.

**The lion landed in front of the castle.**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's where I'm leaving it off. That was exhausting.


	4. The Rise of Voltron (Part 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Please read last chapter to understand. This begins in like the middle of the episode, so.   
> Once again, long, long chapter. I am trying to finish this but this is a really long, action filled episode. It's kind of sad.
> 
> Also maybe it's not such minor Allura/Shiro, considering they're complimenting each other every 50 seconds.

**"Keep your guard up."**

**"Something wrong?"**

Allura sighed dreamily and leaned forward to rest her chin on her palm. "I miss Altea very much. If only father could see how far his creation has come."

**"My crew was captured by aliens once, I'm not going to let it happen again." Shiro growled to Pidge.**

**The scene switched to the group walking out of the lion.**

Allura smiled sadly. "I understand the concern, Shiro, though it saddens me that you thought of us that way." She gestured to Coran and herself. Shiro smiled back at her. "I was just being too careful. You're not like the Galra at all."

**The lion suddenly growled and stood up, startling the group. "No! No, I knew it was going to eat us! No!" Hunk covered his eyes and curled away from the lion.**

The group laughed at Hunk, who blushed bright red.

**When the lion roared, the castle doors glowed blue and opened. Hunk hid behind Shiro. "Oh, the door is open." Hunk turned to the lion. "Guess I was wrong about you."**

**They walked inside. "Hello?" Hunk called, the sound echoing through the large hallway. The group turned to stare at him.**

Coran frowned in confusion. "I thought the idea was to be cautious? Hunk does not seem to be being very cautious."

**Hunk shrugged. Pidge turned to the staircase in front of them. "From the size of the lion, I expected these stairs to be bigger."**

**A blue light flashed down from the ceiling, encasing them. "Please hold still for an identity scan."**

Keith laughed. "I forgot about that thing."

**Shiro looked up to the ceiling. "Why are we here? What do you want with us?" Lights flickered on down the hall in front of them.**

**Pidge shrugged. "Well, I guess we're going that way."**

Pidge laughed at herself, curling her legs up to her chest to be more comfortable.

**They continued walking down the halls where the lights turned on. Hunk called out again.**

**"Where are we?" Lance asked, as they entered a large empty room. Pidge looked down at a monitor. "It's some kind of control room." She said.**

"Oh, I know that room! Though it looks quite different now." Allura pointed to the screen.

**Behind Pidge, a pod slowly rose up from under the ground, the shadow of a woman inside. Another pod opened up nearby, with the shadow of a man.**

Allura and Coran gasped, leaning forward.

**Hunk was hiding behind something. "Are these guys dead?"**

Allura laughed.

**The pod slowly opened, revealing Allura inside. She took a moment before opening her eyes. "Father!"**

Allura squeaked, before giggling. "I knew it!"

**She fell forward before Lance caught her. She looked up at him with a tired expression, and Lance blushed. "Hello." He said flirtatiously.**

The entire team except for Lance groaned. He shrugged with a nervous smirk. "What can I say? I'm a charmer."

Keith rolled his eyes. "Yeah, a real charmer for sure."

**"Who are you? Where am I?" Allura asked, looking around. "I'm Lance, and you're right here in my arms."**

Allura tapped her cheek a couple times. "I believe the human word to describe that situation is...gross." Everyone laughed.

**"Your ears." Allura said. Lance glanced nervously towards his ears. "...Yeah?"**

**Allura was silent for a couple seconds. "They're hideous." She pulled away from Lance. "What's wrong with them?"**

Keith burst out laughing, pointing at Lance's ears. Lance blushed, covering the sides of his head with his arms.

**Lance growled. "Nothing is wrong with them! They heard exactly what you said about them."**

**Allura pulled him by one ear and pulled his other arm behind his head, shoving him to the ground. Lance screamed.**

The team all started laughing. "Good job, Allura. He deserved it." Pidge complimented the princess.

**Allura held him down. "Who are you?! Where is King Alfor? Why are you in my castle?" She demanded. Lance had tears in his eyes when he replied, "A giant blue lion brought us here! That's all we know."**

Coran ran a hand over his mustache again. "If I were the head of security then I would not have believed that."

**Allura looked around. "How do you have the blue lion? What happened to it's paladin?"**

**She let go of his ear and looked at the rest of the group. "What are all of you doing here? Unless...how long has it been?"**

**Shiro replied, "We don't know what you're talking about. Why don't you tell us who you are? Maybe we can help."**

Allura blushed. "You were very kind to me then, Shiro. Thank you."

Shiro put his hand on her shoulder and smiled.

**Allura frowned. "I am Princess Allura of Planet Altea. I've got to find out where we are and how long we've been asleep." Allura walked over to the control panel and put her hands down on the handprints.**

**Pidge walked over. "Okay, so that's how it works."**

Coran glanced over at Pidge. "You did not know? You are far smarter than the rest of us, I figured you would've."

**Coran's pod slowly opened. He screamed as soon as it was fully open. "Enemy combatants!" He leaped out of the pod and attempted to kick Lance, who simply dodged, and Coran fell onto the floor.**

**"Quiznak! You're lucky I have a case of the old sleep chamber knees. Otherwise I'd grab your head like this, wrap you up like so, and 1, 2, 3, sleepy time!" Coran made a series of strange gestures.**

The team laughed. "Thank you for the show, Coran, very interesting." Pidge slowly clapped, pretending to wipe tears from her eyes.

**"Well, before you did that I'd-" Lance got into a fighting position and karate chopped the air and then kicked the air, making noises to along with it. "Like that."**

Lance blushed a brighter red as even Hunk laughed at him. "I-I could've fought him like that if I tried! K-Keith stop laughing, I could!"

**Coran glared. "Oh really? How could you do that when I've already come at you like this?" Coran punched the air several times, adding sound effects as well.**

**Allura continued working on the control panel. Hunk walked over. "Man these guys are good." He commented.**

Allura shook her head. "They are not." Shiro joined in, nodding. "Definitely not."

**"It can't be." Allura gasped. Coran walked over. "What is it?" The computer beeped a couple times before Allura replied, "We've been asleep for 10,000 years!"**

**The scene changed to a flashback of Allura, her father, and Coran inside the castle, fighting against Zarkon.**

The team, except for Allura and Coran, gasped, waiting to see what would happen. Allura hadn't told them much about Alfor fighting Zarkon, except that it happened.

**A hologram of Zarkon appeared in the castle. "Alfor, your fleet has been destroyed. I will be there shortly to claim Voltron." The hologram disappeared and a giant blast of purple replaced it.**

**It hit the castle immediately. Allura and Coran grunted. "Father, we must form Voltron and fight before it is too late!"**

Keith nodded along, and Hunk had grabbed Keith and pulled him against him. It was something Hunk did when he was stressed out. Hugged people.

**Alfor frowned. "It is already too late. We must send the lions away. We can't risk them falling into Zarkon's hands."  
 **"We can't give up hope!"****

**"I'm sorry, daughter. If all goes well, I will see you again soon."**

Allura had shut her eyes tightly and turned away from the screen.

**A small flicker of blue magic appeared in Alfor's hand. "Father..." She said weakly, reaching for him. Allura fell asleep in mere seconds and collapsed.**

**"I love you." Alfor whispered.**

Lance shivered. The scene had been too real to him, and far too chilling. Normally Lance liked history class, but not like this.

**The scene changed back to the present, with Allura. "Planet Altea and all the planets in our solar system have been destroyed! Coran, father is gone. Our civilization..." She trailed off, flinching.**

**When she opened her eyes, she was glaring. "Zarkon." Shiro gasped. "Zarkon?"**

Keith turned to Shiro, wanting to speak, but deciding not to say anything. The moment on screen felt too important to interrupt.

**"He was the King of the Galra. A vile creature and enemy to all free people." Allura growled. Shiro looked down and said, "I remember now. I was his prisoner."**

**Allura's eyes widened. "He's still alive? Impossible!"**

**Shiro frowned. "I can't explain it, but it's true. He's searching for a super weapon called Voltron."**

**Allura looked at Shiro. "He's searching for it because he knows it's the only thing that can defeat him and that's exactly why we must find it before he does."**

**“Emperor Zarkon requests an audience.” A disembodied male voice said to Sendak.**

**A hologram of Zarkon appeared again. "Commander Sendak, the princess of Altea is alive and hiding in your sector. We believe she alone knows the whereabouts of the remaining lions. Your battle fleet is the closest to her location. Retrieve her and the lions. With them all the Galra empire will be unstoppable."**

"Well, you didn't succeed, but okay Zarkon." Allura teased, leaning back.

**Sendak bowed. "I fight for the Empire. I conquer in the name of Galra. No foe has ever stood in my way and none ever will. Vrepit sa!"**

"Well, we did, so." Hunk laughed.

**Once Zarkon's hologram disappeared, Sendak turned around. "Set a course to Arus."**

Lance wiggled his fingers. "Oooo, scary!"

**The scene switched to the castle again. "Princess, you must eat. It has been 10,000 years!"**

**"I'm not hungry."**

Hunk rubbed his stomach. "10,000 years? I would melt."

**Lance frowned, crossing his arms. "10,000 years? That's like 1,000 plus 10!"**

Pidge face palmed next to him.

**Keith turned to him. "That's...times ten."**

**Lance glared at him, "Whatever, drop out!"**

Lance sighed, turning to Keith. "Sorry I brought that up, man."

**"I haven't eaten since breakfast and I'm starving!" Hunk complained. Pidge turned to him. "Yeah, but you've thrown up like five times."**

Keith stuck his tongue out with a disgusted expression.

**"Hmm, good point." Hunk said, grabbing the plate of food goo Coran had left Allura.**

Lance rolled his eyes. "I can't believe someone would be excited to eat food goo."

**Shiro looked over at Allura and Coran. "I can't believe your civilization created such advanced technology 10,000 years ago. It must have been an incredible place." Shiro smiled.**

**Coran's face dropped, and he looked down. "Yes...it was. But now it's gone and we're the last Alteans to live." He looked at Allura.**

Allura smiled at Coran and pulled him into a hug. "Thank you for being there for me, Coran."

**Coran hugged Allura on screen as she cried. Soon, a sound alerted Allura and she pulled away. She walked over to the sound and found the three space mice. "Looks like we're not the rest after all."**

The team started shouting at the screen about how happy they were.

**The alarm began blaring and Coran turned around with a gasp. "A Galra battleship has set its tracker on us!"**

**Allura, holding the mice, walked over. "How did they find us?"**

Pidge turned to the side, resting her feet on Keith. "I like watching all these old memories again. It's fun."

**"I'm not sure." Lance grumbled. "But I bet it's Keith's fault."**

**Keith glared at him. "Say whatever you've got to say to make yourself feel better. After getting us stuck on the other side of a wormhole!" Lance jumped toward Keith and got up in his face. "I'll stick you in a wormhole!"**

The team laughed, except for Keith, who still looked mildly annoyed at the fact Pidge was now resting her feet on him.

**Shiro pushed Lance back. "Stow it, cadets! This is no time to place blame, it's time to work as a team. How long before they arrive?'**

Lance laughed slightly. "Stow it, cadets?" He turned to Shiro. "Remind me why we just obeyed that."

**Coran turned to Shiro. "At their speed? Well, let's see...carry the two, uh...probably a couple of days." He frowned.**

**Allura raised her eyebrows. "Good. Let them come. By the time they get here, you five will have reformed Voltron and together we will destroy Zarkon's empire!"**

Lance clapped. "Good speech, good speech. Wonderful."

**Hunk sucked the rest of the food goo off his finger and burped. "Sorry. Food goo."**

**Shiro looked at Allura. "Princess, there are five of these lions. How will we find the rest?"**

Keith pulled at his glove and smiled. "Honestly, why wasn't that our very first priority?"

 **The scene switched to Allura** **walking onto the bridge, where a blue light shot over her. "King Alfor connected the lions to Allura's life force. She alone is the key to the lions' whereabouts." Coran told Shiro.**

Shiro frowned. "That sounds...dangerous, to say the least."

**Allura opened her eyes and what was basically a giant map filled the room. Each little blue light was coordinates.**

Pidge adjusted her glasses. "Seeing these again is so awesome."

**"These are coordinates..." Pidge trailed off. "The black lion looks like it's in the same location as the blue lion."**

Shiro ruffled Pidge's hair. "So smart." Pidge blushed, looking away. "Don't be such a Dad, Shiro."

**Coran leaned toward Pidge with a smile. "Look at your primitive synapses firing away in their little bird cage."**

**Allura smiled brightly. "Very observant. That's because the Black Lion is in the castle."**

Hunk snorted with laughter. "Shiro, Allura, Coran, you are such space parents and uncles."

**"To keep the Black Lion out of Zarkon's hands, King Alfor locked it in the castle. It can only be freed if the other four lions are present." Coran explained.**

Hunk yawned, resting his head on the back of the chair. "I forgot how boring all of this was." (me sorry lol)

**Allura nodded. "As you have found, the lions choose their pilots. It is a mystical bond and cannot be forced. The quintessence of the pilot is mirrored in his lion. Together, they form something greater than science can explain. The Black Lion is the decisive head of Voltron. It will take a pilot who is a born leader and in control at all times, someone whose men will follow without hesitation. That is why, Shiro, you will pilot the black lion."**

**"The Green Lion has an inquisitive personality and needs a pilot of intellect and daring. Pidge, you will pilot the Green Lion."**

**"The Blue Lion-" Allura began, but was cut off by Lance. "Woah, wait, hold up, let me guess. Takes the most handsome/best pilot of the bunch?"**

**Allura stared before deciding to move on. "The Yellow Lion is caring and kind. Its pilot is one who puts the needs of others above his own. His heart must be mighty. As the leg of Voltron, you will lift the team up and hold them together. Hunk, you will pilot the Yellow Lion."**

**"The Red Lion is temperamental, and the most difficult to master. It's faster and more agile than the others, but also more unstable. Its pilot needs to be someone who relies more on instincts than on skill alone. Keith, you will fly the red lion."**

**Lance frowned. "What? This guy?" He gestured to Keith. Lance and Keith glared at each other before turning back to Allura.**

**"Unfortunately, I cannot locate the Red Lion's coordinates yet. There must be something wrong with the castle. After 10,000 years, it might need some work." Allura admitted.**

**"Don't worry, we'll find it soon. They don't call me the Coranic for nothing. It's because it sounds like mechanic. So...Coranic...mechanic. It-It doesn't sound exactly like it, it-it's similar."**

**The small red lion icon in front of Keith suddenly roared and began running, and the others followed to fly upward. "Once all the lions are united, you will form Voltron." Allura said as the five lion icons combined to make Voltron.**

Lance laughed, a wide smile on his face. "I remember seeing that! It was sooo awesome." He fell back in his seat with a childlike grin. He didn't notice Keith looking at him.

**"The most powerful warrior ever known, the Defender of the Universe."**

Pidge pulled her legs off of Keith. "That is very dramatic but I like it, so it's fine."

**"Awesome!" Hunk said. "Wait, okay, we're going to be in there and flying lions. Got that part. How do lions turn into legs? Is this going to be a long trip? Because I have to pee. Do you guys pee?"**

Pidge laughed. "Hunk, you are the most lovable awkward guy ever."

**"We don't have much time. Pidge and I will go after the Green Lion. Lance, you take Hunk and get the yellow one. Keith, you stay here. If you locate the red lion, get it." Shiro said, putting a hand on Keith's shoulder. Allura stepped forward. "In the meantime, I'll get the castle's defenses running. They'll be sorely needed."**

Pidge snorted. "That's for sure."

**Coran walked over to them. "I'll get a pod ready and load the coordinates so you can reach the Green Lion."**

Lance made finger guns at the screen and said, "Sounds like a plan, Stan." To which Coran replied, "My name is not Stan."

**The blue lion shot through the sky.**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that is where we're leaving off. Next chapter will be them finding most if not all of the lions. I'm kind of disappointed at how long this is taking, and you might not understand, but it takes an incredibly long time to write a chapter for this. There's much more dialogue than expected, especially for a long episode like this. I hope you all understand! It takes me an hour or so to write 10-15 minutes of the show. Thanks for reading!


	5. The Rise of Voltron (Part 4)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is my 2nd time writing this summary. My computer crashed while I was writing this. I only had like half of what I had written saved so that's super annoying. I mean, it already took me hours why does my computer have to sabotage me? Anyway, I finished the Rise of Voltron in this chapter. It took at least a total of 5 hours. I'm serious. This chapter is also incredibly long.  
> (There might be some mistakes because I had to go back and re-bolden everything in this when my computer crashed. Tell me in the comments if I messed up anything.)

 

 

  **The scene switched to Allura on the bridge of the ship. She shut her eyes and formed a wormhole. "We're only able to keep the wormhole open for two of your Earth hours, so you'll have to be quick with your work." Coran warned them.**

Lance leaned back in his seat and crossed his legs. "I think we were plenty quick, huh, Hunk?" He nudged his best friend.

**"The good news is that according to my readings, both planets are relatively peaceful. So, if you do get stuck, they could be relaxing places to live out the rest of your lives. Enjoy the trip!" Coran added, looking down at a hologram monitor.**

Shiro chuckled. "I remember that. Honestly, you need to work on your pep talks, Coran." Shiro said kindly, winking at Coran before turning back to the screen. Allura smiled at him.

**The two duos began protesting, but were sucked into the wormholes nonetheless. The scene switched to follow Pidge and Shiro first. They began walking through a tropical planet, and Pidge was taking readings of the area.**

Lance yawned. "Boring! When will they get to the good part?" He flexed his non existent muscles. **Shiro and Pidge reached the edge of a lake, and Pidge pointed to a wooden boat with a lion head carving. "Look!" She called. She turned to her left and saw a sloth.**

Keith chuckled. "Space never ceases to amaze me."

**Pidge and Shiro screamed, and Pidge climbed onto Shiro's shoulder to shield herself.**

Allura laughed, resting her hand on Shiro's shoulder to steady herself. Shiro blushed, turning his attention to the screen and not letting his gaze falter even for a moment.

**"It's just a...whatever that thing is." Pidge trailed off uncertainly. She climbed off Shiro. The sloth began walking to the small wooden boat and gestured for them to follow it.**

Lance rolled his eyes. "How come they really did get a peaceful planet? Ours sucked!" He glanced at Hunk, who was nodding along.

**"I...think he wants us to get in the canoe." Pidge said. Shiro shrugged with a small smile. "Then I guess we should go."**

"Solid plan, Shiro." Keith commented with an affectionate smile.

**Pidge raised her eyebrows questioningly. Shiro added, "I've been locked up by aliens for a year. This is nothing." Shiro and Pidge walked toward the canoe. When they got in, the sloth started rowing the canoe through the water. In the bushes around the lake, strange, but cute alien creatures poked out.**

Allura grinned. "Aw! Those creatures are absolutely adorable. We should go visit that planet at some point."

**The sloth rowed the canoe underneath an overhang with another lion carving on it. She smiled. "I wonder if Hunk and Lance are having as good a time as us."**

Hunk crossed his arms. "Nope. Nada."

**The scene switched immediately to Hunk and Lance screaming in the blue lion as it flipped continuously. "No! Oh, no, no, no! No!" Hunk shrieked.**

The whole team burst out laughing at their antics.

**Two Galra ships were shooting at the Blue Lion. To avoid getting hit by blasts or bombs, Lance had to steer the blue lion sideways or upside down very quickly. Hunk and Lance continued screaming.**

Keith kicked his feet up and put them in Lance's lap, mimicking what Pidge had done to him not long ago. Lance hid his face to hide the bright red blush, while Keith saw nothing romantic about the friendly gesture.

**A blast suddenly hit the Blue Lion and it fell from the sky.**

Allura and Keith winced. "That did not look pleasant..." Allura murmured, seeming apologetic.

**"I thought Coran said these planets were peaceful!" Hunk shouted as the lion continued to fall, the Galra ships following it. "Maybe peaceful means something else in Altean!" Lance screamed, attempting to gain control of the lion again.**

Coran brushed a stray hair off of his forehead and hummed. "I do not believe it does."

**Lance flipped the lion and used the blasters on it's paws to save them from hitting the ground. The Galra ships continued to fire at them. Hunk pulled out a device and checked the coordinates. "According to the coordinates, we're right on top of the Yellow Lion!" He told Lance.**

Keith sighed. "I can't wait to see how you got out of this one."

**"It's below there, where they're mining for ore! They don't even know the lion is there. Or maybe they just got there and they're digging for the lion?" Hunk said, pointing the mine shaft in the cliffside. "What do you think, Lance?"**

Shiro chuckled under his breath. "Priorities, please."

**Lance turned around to glare. "Who cares? Just go get it! I'm dropping you down there." Hunk smiled nervously. "Me? Down there? No. No, no, no." His smile dropped and he began to sweat.**

Pidge started laughing. "You're an expert at friendship, Lance."

**"Yes. I'll cover you." Lance growled as he flew the lion toward the Galra and toward the mineshaft. As the Blue Lion ran toward the mineshaft and avoiding the blasts from the Galra, Hunk continued talking. "What if the Yellow Lion doesn't work? What if I can't get in the mine? What if I start crying? Too late, I'm already crying!" Hunk burst into tears.**

Coran and Allura began to look concerned. "Hunk, I am sorry if we put you through any turmoil. It was not our intention." Allura said. Hunk waved her off. "Nah, don't worry about it. I was just being silly."

**Lance turned around with a frown. "Sorry, no time for questions." He pressed the eject button on the control panel and Hunk fell out of the floor with a scream.**

Lance looked away from Hunk, looking guilty. "Hey, don't worry about it dude, you did it for the mission. I should have been more cooperative." Hunk assured him.

**Hunk shot out of the mouth of the lion and started rolling across the ground toward the mines.**

Pidge adjusted her glasses. "How did the fall not break your spine?"

**As Hunk walked into the mine and opened a control box, Lance tried to block the blasts with his lion.**

Coran pulled on his mustache. "I see many faults in this plan. It would be a miracle if there were no errors."

**Hunk began investigating the wiring of the box. "Oh yeah, sure, just drop me off on an alien planet. That's cool, man. It's only occupied by mean purple aliens who want to kill me, but whatever. Just go ignore them and connect with a big, yellow, mechanical cat. Easy-peasy, yeah. That all makes a ton of sense to me."**

The team all laughed. "Wow, Hunk, that was a lot of sass." Pidge teased.

**Hunk started messing around with the wires until the 'elevator' went down into the mines. As it sunk lower, carvings on the walls began glowing yellow. He reached the bottom of the mines where there was an opening.**

Allura turned to Coran. "The markings glowed the color of the lion. That is very interesting, yet predictable. We should have paid more attention to that. It might have been useful somehow." She told him.

**"Okay, so I'm in a giant hole. Now what, Hunk?" Hunk started looking around and behind him a floor carving started glowing yellow. He turned around.**

"Well, that didn't take long." Keith said, blowing on a piece of hair that was covering his eyes.

**More carvings began to glow behind him until one large one appeared on the wall. “Wow, pretty.” Hunk whispered. Then, he crossed his arms. "How am I going to get through that?" He backed up into a giant drill. "Hmm..."**

Pidge rolled her eyes. "That was convenient." (me)

**The scene switched to Lance in the blue lion attempting to fight off the Galra ships. A blast hit the lion in the face and Lance grunted. Another blast hits dangerously close to the mines. Lance flies the lion up toward the ships again.**

"That was...very close." Shiro muttered. **The scene switched back to Hunk drilling a hole through the wall. Behind the wall was the Yellow Lion, encased in the particle barrier as well.**

Allura sighed dreamily. "I wish I had been able to go on that mission with you both." Lance glanced at her and then smiled flirtatiously. "Would you have, Princess? I would have liked you to be there with me, too." Allura rolled her eyes and Keith immediately removed his legs from Lance's lap, startling the boy.

**The scene switched AGAIN to Lance outside. He flew the lion full speed at a Galra ship and the lion bit it in half. Lance attempted to use the tail blasters to shoot the other ships, but kept missing.**

Pidge smirked. "Sharpshooter? Is that really a good title for you?"

**The ships began flying toward the mines. "Oh, no..." Lance whispered, and flew after them. The ships hit multiple places around the mines before hitting them dead on. "Hunk!" Lance shouted.**

The team gasped, except for Lance and Hunk. Hunk just looked proud, and Lance looked incredibly guilty. "Oh my goodness, Hunk were you okay?" Allura asked, her face colored with worry. Keith frowned at Hunk sympathetically. Hunk smiled. "Yeah, don't worry about it! The blast didn't even hit me at all."

**The scene switched back to Shiro and Pidge. "I know the Princess said this was supposed to be my lion, but what if she's wrong? I mean, she's probably not wrong, she's a Princess, but I'm not a pilot! Even though I've always wanted to be a pilot. I mean, I read all the fighter manuals, but never got to fly the simulator. But, hey, I can't be all that much worse than Lance. He crashed all the time, but what if I get in there and it doesn't respond? What if I get in there and it's too big and my feet don't touch the pedals? What if there aren't even pedals!?!"**

Keith turned to Pidge with a humorous expression. "Wow, where do you keep all that air?"

**Shiro smiled and interrupted her. "You're rambling. Listen...Our commander on the Kerberos mission was the smartest man I'd ever met and he always said "If you get too worried about what could go wrong, you might miss a chance to do something great." " Pidge gasped and then smiled.**

Allura thought for a moment, and then decided to be daring. She put her head on Shiro's shoulder and smiled up at him. He gasped audibly, and looked down at her but she was already staring back at the screen. He blushed and made the decision to put his arm around her.

**Moments later, the canoe pulled up the shore. On land was a temple covered in roots and vines, with two stone lions in the front of it. They got off the boat and waved goodbye to the sloth.**

Lance glanced over and noticed Allura and Shiro. He expected to feel jealous but he actually didn't feel anything. Though, he did feel happy for them. They were very alike and deserved to have someone. He smiled to himself. **The path lit up with green stone carvings leading into the temple. Pidge hesitated before walking up the steps. Shiro smiled at her, and said, "Go. Be great."**

Pidge turned and smiled at Shiro. "Thank you again, Shiro. I'll never forget that."

**Pidge turned and raced up the stairs into the temple. She climbed over the large roots that were in her way and made it to the top of the temple. When she made it up, nothing happened for a couple seconds, until there was a deep growl from underneath her feet. The temple began to glow green and Pidge jumped in with a laugh.**

"That seems kind of reckless but okay." Lance commented quietly, feeling sort of excluded at this point, especially with Keith ignoring him now.

**The green lion roared and startled Shiro before it flew out of the roots with Pidge inside. Shiro smiled proudly.**

Hunk laughed joyfully. "Aw, Space Dad!" He teased. Shiro blushed. "I'm not a Dad."

**The scene switched back to Hunk and Lance. Lance was flying the blue lion and avoiding blasts outside still. "Hunk! Come on! Please, buddy!" He called, sweating nervously. The Blue Lion was hit with two blasts and fell from the sky again.**

Lance turned with a frown to Hunk. "I want you to know I'm super sorry for all that." He whispered. Hunk nodded, smiling happily, and put a hand on his shoulder. "You tell me that all the time, Lance! Don't worry about it, like I said. I wasn't even hurt."

**"Oh, no, no, no, no, no! Going down! We're going down!" Lance panicked, pressing all the controls. The Blue Lion hit the ground and rolled. When the lion got back up, it was crackling with electricity. Three Galra ships started flying at the Blue Lion fast. "Oh, no..." Lance muttered, looking and sounding exhausted.**

Lance was too busy staring at the floor to notice Keith's concerned expression staring at the screen, waiting anxiously for the next event.

**Lance braced himself for impact, but Hunk in the Yellow Lion jumped out in front of Lance and took the blow instead.**

Celebratory hollers spread across the room. "Nice job, Hunk!" Pidge complimented him with a toothy grin. "Uh, well, actually-" Hunk began, but was cut off by the show continuing.

**The Yellow Lion jumped and crushed the three ships easily. "You okay, Lance?" Hunk asked. "Hunk! I thought you were dead. You jumped in front of those shots to save my life!" Lance exclaimed.**

Allura looked up from her position on Shiro's shoulder. "Indeed you did. Well done, Hunk."

**"Well, actually I was trying to get out of the way. Thankfully, what this lacks in speed, it definitely makes up for in armor. Man, can it take a beating!"**

Pidge face palmed. "Okay, so maybe not such a hero. But still. Good job anyway."

**More Galra ships appeared and began firing at Hunk and Lance. Just then, Allura video chatted them. "Paladins! Please hurry back, I can't hold the wormhole much longer." She warned them, before turning the video off.**

"It is very draining to hold wormholes, it seems." Pidge admitted.

**"Let's get out of here!" Lance called and the two lions flew into the wormhole. The scene changed to the bridge of the ship again. Everyone was back except for Hunk and Lance, who then walked through the door. Lance was rubbing his back and groaned.**

Pidge laughed. "Old man."

**"You made it!" Allura said, smiling. Lance stretched his arm. "Yeah, just barely. It was a nightmare. I almost puked out there. I felt like Hunk!"**

Keith couldn't hold in his light chuckle. Lance grinned widely.

**Hunk was rubbing his head. "Think how I feel. I am Hunk."**

Coran laughed. "How did Lance forget that you are Hunk? Why did you have to remind him?" No one felt like replying to that.

**Pidge glanced at Shiro with a smile. "Yeah, we a had a tough time, too."**

Lance pointed at Pidge accusingly. "You did not, liar! You had a tropical vacation."

**Shiro smiled at Pidge before turning back to Allura and Coran. "Did we find the Red Lion yet?" Coran walked forward and replied, "Allura just located it. There's a bit of good news and bad news. The good news is the Red Lion's nearby. The bad news is, it's on board that Galra ship orbiting Arus."**

Keith brushed hair over his face on purpose. Emo.

**Coran smiled brightly. "But wait, good news again! We're Arus!"**

 Hunk frowned. "How was that good news? I forget."

**Shiro stepped forward. "They're here already?" Coran nodded. "Guess my calculations were a bit off. Finger counting-it's more of an art than a science."**

Pidge rolled her eyes. "An art. Right."

**A hologram appeared in the castle. "Princess Allura, this is Commander Sendak of the Galra Empire. I come on behalf of Emperor Zarkon, Lord of the Known Universe. I am here to confiscate the lions. Turn them over to me, or I will destroy your planet." The hologram disappeared.**

Hunk shivered. "That guy always did give me the creeps."

**The team stared at the screen in horror. Shiro spoke up, "Alright. Let's not panic." Hunk interrupted, "Not panic? The scary purple alien thing is driving his battleship towards us. We only have four lions."**

Coran started finger counting again silently.

**Pidge added, "Technically only three working lions."**

**"That's right, thank you, Pidge. Three working lions and a castle that's like 10,000 years old." Hunk rambled. Allura looked down at her hands thoughtfully. Coran raised one finger to silence Hunk. "Actually, it's 10,600 years old. You see, it was built by my grandfather--" Hunk pressed his finger to Coran's lips. "Thank you, Coran. Thank you for that. See? Now is the perfect time to panic!"**

Coran pulled on his collar. "I still do not know why you interrupted me."

**Allura's eyes widened. "Wait! This castle has a particle barrier we can activate!" She turned around. Lance raised an eyebrow flirtatiously. "Girl, you've already activated my-" Shiro cut him off with a glare. "Lance!"**

Pidge clapped slowly. "Finally. Somebody shut him up."

**A hologram of the Galra ship appeared. "The particle barrier won't hold Sendak's ion cannon forever. The Galra technology must have advanced since we fought them last." Coran said, pulling on his mustache. "Panic now?" Hunk asked.**

Shiro shook his head. "Hunk, it's important to know that it is never a good time to panic."

**Shiro turned to Hunk. "No. We've just got to figure out our plan of action, and figure it out quickly."**

The team laughed. "Space Dad indeed." Hunk wiggled his eyebrows.

**Lance narrowed his eyes. "I say we pop through a wormhole and live to fight another day." Hunk nodded quickly. "I second that, yes. We tried to find all the lions, right? We gave it the old college try. Couldn't do it. We only have three, we can't form Voltron. I guess we could form a snake, or a worm. To go through that hole you were talking about, Lance."**

Pidge pulled her glasses down a bit so she could look at Hunk properly. "You don't seriously think that you have to be a worm to go through a wormhole, right?"

**"Then it's settled." Lance said, walking forward. "Allura, you ride with me. One of you take the old guy."**

Coran glared. "I am not old!"

**"We can't just abandon Arus." Pidge pointed out. "The Galra will keep destroying planets and capturing prisoners until we stop them." Hunk shook his head. "Okay. If we run, then maybe Sendak will follow us and leave this planet alone like when we left Earth. We form the snake-worm thingamajig and we-ssss-out of here!"**

Pidge face palmed multiple times. "How did I get stuck with you, Hunk?"

**Keith shook his head. "Sendak could destroy the planet then come after us anyway. Staying is our only option." Keith stated harshly. Lance leaned forward and glared at Keith. "Here's an option-shut your quiznak!"**

Keith rolled his eyes.

**Allura and Coran gasped. Keith leaned forward as well. "I don't think you're using that word correctly."**

**"What do you know, mullet?"**

**"We're staying."**

**"Leaving!"**

Allura shook her head, and Shiro joined in. "Very immature." Allura whispered to Shiro.

**"Staying!" Pidge joined in. "Snake!" Hunk shouted. Shiro yelled, "Guys, stop!" Keith and Lance had their heads pressed together, glaring at each other. Pidge was glaring up at Hunk.**

Lance blinked a couple times. "I kind of forgot that argument ever happened..."

**Shiro looked at Allura. "Princess Allura, these are your lions. You've dealt with the Galra Empire before. You know what we're facing better than any of us. What do you think is the best course of action?" He asked.**

Hunk shrugged. "We probably should have just asked her from the start."

**Allura's eyes widened. "I...I don't know." Coran looked over at her with a frown. "Perhaps your father can help." Allura stared at him in confusion. "My father?"**

Pidge started giggling. "I'm sorry but...Luke, I Am Your Father. I don't know why, but that reminded me of that!" She burst out laughing and even Allura chuckled.

**The scene switched to Allura and Coran walking into a dark room. Allura walked forward and asked, "Coran, what is this?" Coran replied, "King Alfor knew there was a chance he might never see you again. So, his memories, his very being, were stored in this computer for you."**

Lance frowned. "I don't mean to be rude but that is super creepy."

**Allura walked over to the glowing blue energy ball. It floated up before exploding and changing the room into a beautiful flower field surrounded by mountains.**

The team other than Allura and Coran, gasped and took in the beauty of it all.

**Behind Allura, a hologram of her father appeared. She gasped, tears gathering in her eyes. "Father...Father! It is so good to see you." She said, running up to him with a smile. He looked down at her. "Allura, my only child, how I've missed your face."**

**Allura looked down. "I'm so frightened. A Galra ship is set to attack, and I don't know what to do. Please, Father, I need your help."**

The team all stared sadly at the Princess. Shiro wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his side. She blushed and cuddled into him. Coran smiled softly.

**"I would do anything to take this burden from you." Alfor said. Allura rested her head on the metal box. "I don't know if we should run to preserve what we have or stay and risk everything. I want to fight, but the paladins of old are gone. I know what you would do."**

Keith shifted in his chair, looking more and more intrigued by the whole scene.

**"I scattered the Lions of Voltron to keep them out of Zarkon's hands. You urged me to keep them and fight, but, for the greater good of protecting the universe, I chose to hide them." Alfor told her.**

Lance blinked a couple times. "So...is he saying go with my idea? Because we didn't end up doing that."

**Allura nodded. "I think I understand." She said, eyes half shut. Alfor said, "No, daughter, you were right. I made a terrible mistake, one that cost the universe countless lives. Forming Voltron is the only way to stop Zarkon. You must be willing to sacrifice everything to assemble the lions and correct my error."**

The team gasped, shocked by the King admitting what he did wrong. "Allura. I'm so sorry you lost your father. He would be proud of you." Pidge told her softly, smiling sadly.

**The scene changed to Allura in her battle clothes and hair tied up. "You five paladins were brought here for a reason. The Voltron Lions are meant to be piloted by you and you alone. We must fight and keep fighting until we defeat Zarkon. It is our destiny. Voltron is the universe's only hope. We are the universe's only hope."**

Keith shivered at the determined tone. He had heard it many times before, but it never failed to amaze him.

**Shiro's face molded into a determined expression. "We're with you, Princess."**

Allura turned and smiled up at Shiro. "I know."

**Coran looked at Allura. "Princess, are you sure about this? They aren't exactly the best and brightest the universe has to offer." He said, eyebrows raised. Allura looked down. "No, but they're all we got."**

Lance gasped. "How rude! I'll let you know I am very bright."

**"Okay, boys, let's suit up!" Shiro called, gaining the attention of everyone in the room. There was a short montage of everyone putting on their armor before there was a shot of them standing proudly.**

Pidge hummed to herself. "We used to think putting on armor was an achievement. We've come really far..."

**Allura placed her hand on a case, and inside were the bayards. "The bayard is the traditional weapon of the Paladins of Voltron." The bayards began floating toward their paladins. "It takes a distinct shape for each paladin."**

Shiro nodded. "They made good choices. You've all near mastered those bayards at this point."

**Hunk's bayard transformed into a large gun, which he struggled to hold up. Keith's bayard took the shape of a long sword, and his wrist formed a shield. Lance's bayard also transformed into a gun, though smaller than Hunk's. Pidge's bayard transformed into a much smaller, handheld weapon.**

Allura frowned. "I never noticed until now that your bayard was so much smaller. It's strange, but it fits your size." Allura didn't notice Pidge giving her the death glare.

**"Aw, you got a cute little bayard!" Lance teased. Pidge pushed the bayard into his side, electrocuting him. "Yeah, it is pretty cute." She said smugly.**

The team laughed.

**Allura looked up at Shiro. "Shiro, I am afraid your bayard was lost with its paladin." She looked down. Shiro smiled. "I guess I'll just have to make do."**

Hunk groaned. "When will we get to the good part? No one wants to see you two flirting."

**The scene changed to the bridge of the ship again, and the hologram of the Galra ship was back. "You'll need to retrieve the Red Lion from Sendak's ship."**

**"That's a pretty big ship. How are we gonna know where the Red Lion is?"**

"Ooooooo, telepathy." Lance made a strange ghostly noise and turned to Keith, attempting to get him to laugh. Keith huffed and didn't even bother to glance at Lance.

**Pidge smiled up at him. "Well, it's not a matter of we. It's a matter of you." She said. Hunk nodded and said, "Pidge is right. Once we get you in, you'll be able to feel its presence and track it down."**

**Lance added in, "Yeah! You know how you felt that crazy energy while we were in the desert?"**

Coran raised a finger. "Didn't you make fun of him for that?"

**Keith's eyes narrowed. "Yeah. You made fun of me for that."**

"Oh."

**Lance smirked. "And I'm proud of that. But it turns out it's exactly like that mumbo-jumbo."**

Pidge snorted. "Proud? Of what? Being annoying?"

**Allura interrupted. "Keith. Remember, the red lion is extremely temperamental. You'll need to earn its respect."**

**Shiro put a hand on Keith's shoulder. "All right. Here's our plan of attack."**

Lance hummed to himself before saying, "Did you ever tell us how you got the red lion? I know the plan but, not the exact details."

**Shiro's voice began explaining the plan, but on the screen, the paladins were going through with the plan. "The Galra empire knows we have the Blue and Yellow Lions, but they don't know we have the Green one too."**

Hunk tapped his foot on the ground. "Okay, this is boring now." (once again, me)

**"Hunk, Lance, you'll be decoys by pretending to give yourselves up."**

**Lance sent a message to the Galra ship. "Attention Galra ship. Do not fire. We are surrendering our lions." Lance then turned to Hunk. "Hope this works..."  
**

Keith muttered under his breath, "Of course everything went to plan for them."

**"While Sendak is distracted, Keith, Pidge, and I will sneak in with the Green Lion. Keith and I will find the Red Lion while Pidge guards our exit." The screen showed the Green Lion attaching to the bottom of the ship and Pidge cutting a hole in the ship.**

Lance nodded along. "Uh huh, uh huh. Yeah, I know. I want to know what happened to Shiro's group, not what I already know."

**The scene switched back to Hunk and Lance. "Pidge, what's your ETA?" Lance asked worriedly as the front of the ship opened up to take the lions. Pidge replied, "We're in."**

**Sendak appeared on screen. "Activate tractor beam."**

Allura made a strange noise. "We should have known that would happen."

**As the tractor beam began to glow, Hunk's eyes widened. "What is that thing?" He asked. Lance shouted, "I think that's our signal to get out of here!" The two lions dodged the blast just before getting sucked in.**

Coran breathed out in relief, despite knowing it already happened.

**Sendak glared. "They lied to us! Launch fighters!" Several Galra ships flew out of the hangar.  
**Lance growled under his breath. "Hunk, you dismantle the ion cannon and I'll take these jerks on a space ride!"****

****"Ten-four!"** **

Allura nodded. "The teamwork could've used some work but that's a good plan."

**The scene changed back to Keith, Pidge, and Shiro. They were inside the ship, in a long hallway. As Shiro looked down one hall, several flashes of his time as prisoner appeared on screen.**

The team gasped. Allura held onto Shiro's arm tighter.

**He gasped. "I've been here before. After I was taken by the Galra cruiser off Kerberos, they brought us here."**

**Pidge stepped forward, concerned. "So...that means that your other crewmembers, they might be held captive here." She frowned. "We've got to rescue them!"**

Keith put a hand on Pidge's shoulder hesitantly and whispered, "I know how it feels."

**Shiro squeezed his eyes shut. "Pidge, we don't have time. We have to get the Red Lion and get back to Arus."**

**Pidge glared up at him. "But we can't just leave prisoners here!"**

Coran began finger counting. "It is very unlikely the prisoners would still be there after a whole Earth year."

**Shiro stepped toward her. "Look, no one understands that more than me, but in war, you have to make hard choices. Now, let's get moving." He commanded.**

"I'm sorry I said those things to you, Pidge. I didn't know then what I know now." Shiro apologized.

**As Keith and Shiro turned around to continue walking, Pidge shouted, "No!"**

Lance jumped back from the screen. "Damn. Angry Pidge is scary."

**She looked down. "Commander Holt is my father. He and my brother were the ones with you on the Kerberos Mission."**

**Shiro's eyes widened. "Commander Holt is your father?"**

**"Yes! I've been searching for him and my brother everywhere and I'm not going to give up when I'm so close. I won't!" She turned and began walking away.**

Hunk nodded. "That sounds reasonable to me."

**"I'm coming with you." Shiro said.**

**Keith looked at Shiro in shock. "What?"**

Lance nodded, frowning. "Yeah. What?"

**Shiro continued. "I remember where the prisoners are held. Keith, you go find the Red Lion." Keith looked at Shiro nervously. "By myself?"**

**Shiro put his hand on Keith's shoulder. "Minor change of plans, you'll be fine. Just remember, patience yields focus."**

Hunk laughed. "So that's where that phrase came from!"

**"So--" Shiro was cut off by doors opening down the hall. "Run!" Pidge and Shiro ran down one hall, and Keith ran down the other.**

Lance crossed his legs. "Mkay, so this is getting interesting now."

**Keith ran down the hall until reaching a place where the hall split into different halls. "Great, now which way?" He growled. He stared at the Galra symbol, eyes widening, and ran down the hall to his right.**

Shiro frowned. "How did you-actually never mind, it doesn't matter."

**The scene changed back to Hunk and Lance. Hunk flew directly at the ion cannon and hit a particle barrier, his lion bouncing off. "What the quiznak? What is that? A forcefield?"**

Keith rolled his eyes. "Obviously."

**The scene switched again back to Allura and Coran. "Particle barrier up!" Allura called, and the particle barrier surrounded the castle. It blinked a couple times before disappearing completely.**

Shiro looked down at Allura. "That was not supposed to happen."

**Coran pulled on his mustache. "Is that what's supposed to happen?" The scene then changed to Allura and Coran staring into the barrier crystal box. Coran gasped. "All the barrier crystals are out of alignment!"**

Lance snorted. "Barrier crystals? Really? You couldn't think of a better name than that?" (me)

**Allura pushed Coran out of her way so she could look at them properly. "We have to fix them immediately. Without the particle barrier, we're completely defenseless!" She exclaimed, looking at Coran. Coran stared at her and shrugged. "We're both too big. What can we do?"**

Hunk laughed. "Give up?"

**The four space mice ran into the small space. "The mice!" Allura cried happily.**

Keith laughed. "The mice? Really?" (MEEE)

**"How do they know how to do this?" Coran asked. Allura replied, "I can hear them talking to me! I think our minds are connected."**

Lance chuckled. "So you're Snow White now?"

**The three mice struggled to push the crystal into place, and the larger mouse jumped on it to shove it in.**

Hunk smiled. "It worked."

**"It must be from sharing the sleep pod for 10,000 years."**

Shiro tapped Allura's shoulder with a smile. "You say that as if it's a casual thing."

**The particle barrier turned on and the mice celebrated. "Thank you friends." Allura whispered, smiling brightly.**

**Coran pressed hard on the sides of his head, sweating profusely. "Coran, what are you doing?"**

Pidge nodded, adjusting her glasses. "I would like to know that as well."

**"I'm trying to get them to make me a sandwich."**

"...I should have just known that."

**The scene changed back to Keith. He turned several corners before reaching another crossway. "Ugh, you've got be kidding me!" He complained. Once Keith had calmed down he whispered, "Patience yields focus." and shut his eyes. Several flashes of the red lion and different hallways appeared before Keith opened his eyes. "Gotcha." He turned and ran.**

Shiro smiled and gave Keith a thumbs up.

**The scene changed back to Shiro and Pidge.**

"Ugh." Lance said under his breath.

**Pidge and Shiro turned a corner before getting spotted by a security camera robot. Pidge shot it down and walked over to it. The scene was shown from the point of view of the robot. "That thing saw us, we should get out of here." Shiro told her.**

**Pidge lifted up the robot. "Wait. I think this might come in handy." Pidge opened the side of the robot and messed with the wiring. "Now I'll just reset the controls..." She trailed off, pressing a couple buttons. The robot flew up. "And it's working for us!"**

Allura clamped her hands together. "So that is Rover! Amazing!"

**Pidge pointed to the robot. "I'm going to call you Rover. Follow me!" She said as she followed Shiro down another hallway. They reached a metal door. "Open up." Pidge ordered Rover. The security scanner scanned Rover and opened the door. "Excellent, Pidge." Shiro said.**

Coran nodded. "Indeed it is. True genius."

**Inside the door was several aliens, huddled up together. "Dad?" Pidge called as she stepped inside. Her father was nowhere to be found.**

Allura bit her lip. "I'm sorry, Pidge."

**Pidge looked down at her feet in disappointment. Shiro stepped forward and said, "Don't be afraid. We're here to help you escape."**

**One alien lifted their head. "It's you, the champion! If anyone can get us out of here, he can."**

Shiro glanced at his feet.

**"What did you call me?" Shiro asked, confused. Pidge looked at the prisoners and then at Rover. "We don't have much time. Let's get to the escape pods." She ran out of the room. "Let's go. Come on." Shiro urged the aliens.**

Keith smiled. "At least you saved them."

**The scene changed back to Lance and Hunk. "Yeah! Woo-hoo! This is way better without Hunk's barfing!" Lance called as he flew away from a few Galra ships. Hunk flew the lion at the forcefield again, but it only bounced off. Hunk groaned.**

Allura frowned. "Why would you continue to hit the forcefield? That is rather stupid."

**Keith reached the Red Lion.**

Lance sighed. "Finally something interesting." He pretended not to notice the way Keith glanced at him after that.

**"Bingo." Keith whispered, placing his hand on the red forcefield around the lion. "Let's get out of here. Open up."**

When the lion didn't move, the team was confused. "Did it reject you at first?" Pidge asked. Allura answered for him, "No, he just had to earn the respect of the lion."

**The lion didn't move. "It's me, Keith, your buddy." Still nothing. "It's me! Keith! Your-I. Am. Your. Paladin!"**

The team laughed.

**Keith hit the forcefield a few times, and suddenly had to duck to avoid getting hit by blasts from Galra guards.**

Lance choked on his spit. "Woah! Those things came out of nowhere!"

**Keith pulled out his shield to block the guns, and turned to the lion. "I am bonding with you! Hey! Come on, we're connected!"**

Pidge laughed. "Apparently not enough yet."

**Keith summoned his bayard and turned back to the Galra. He ran at them and shouted, "You're not getting this lion!" Keith blocked a blow from one guard and pushed them off, and then cut the legs off the other.**

Coran blinked. "You defeated them all by yourself? Without training?"

**A blast hit Keith in the chest and he flew backwards.**

The team gasped. "Didn't that hurt like crazy?" Hunk asked. Keith shrugged.

**Keith glanced over at the control panel beside him and slammed a button down, opening the airlock.**

Allura gasped. "Keith! Why would you do that?"

**The remaining guards were sucked out into space. Keith held on tightly to the control panel, trying to pull himself up.**

Lance punched Keith in the arm. "You idiot! You could have died!"

**A piece of debris hit Keith, forcing him to let go of the control panel and float out into space.**

Lance gasped. "Oh my god! Keith! Why did you do that?!" He shouted in Keith's ear. Keith winced and said, "I was hardly even thinking!"

**The Red Lion flew out of the ship and opened its mouth, allowing Keith in. "Good kitty." Keith said as he sat in the pilot chair. "Let's roll."**

Hunk whispered to Lance, "Watch out, Lance, your bi is showing."

**The scene changed to Pidge and Shiro. "Hurry!" Pidge said, leading the prisoners into the escape pod. "Halt." A Galra soldier said, and a group of soldiers ran at them. Pidge gasped.**

Allura groaned. "Could it get any worse?"

**Shiro's hand began to glow purple, and he fell to the ground with a groan. Suddenly, he looked up in determination and raced at the soldiers, blocking blasts with his hand and then hitting them with it, immediately killing them.**

Coran pulled on the hairs of his mustache. "That hand has always been useful."

**The escape pod closed and left with the aliens on board. "Thank you, Shiro." An alien said.**

"I'm really glad they managed to escape." Hunk said.

**"Wait! How do you...?" Shiro began to ask, but stopped himself as the escape pod flew off. Pidge punched Shiro in the arm lightly. "Shiro, that was amazing! Where did you learn to fight with that?"**

**Shiro looked down at his hand and clenched his fist. "No idea."**

Allura smiled. "Well, it is a good thing you did. Without it, Pidge and you could have been hurt!"

**The scene changed back to Hunk and Lance. Hunk blasted the ion cannon forcefield. "Come on, just break you stupid thing!" He shouted, continuing to blast the forcefield. Seconds later, it shattered. "Score one for Hunk!"**

Allura giggled, and pointed. "What a weak particle barrier!"

**Hunk flung the lion at the ion cannon and majorly dented the side. The Red and Green lion flew past Hunk. "You guys made it!"**

Lance blinked. "Did you expect them not to? Because that is messed up, Hunk."

**Pidge smiled brightly. "Kitty Rose has left the stage!"**

**"Let's get the heck out of here!"**

Hunk clapped. "Yes queens." (meee)

**"I hope I stopped that ion cannon! I could barely make a dent in it." Hunk said before blasting after the rest of the group.**

**The Galra gasped. "They stole the Red Lion!" Sendak slammed his hands down on the control panel. "After them! Either we get those lions or we blow this whole planet into cosmic dust! Fire the ion cannon."**

Lance brushed hair out of his face and laughed. "Seems a bit extreme but I won't judge."

**A soldier turned around. "Sir, the ion cannon has been damaged."**

**Sendak glared. "Then send the drones to fix it!"**

Pidge pouted. "The poor drones don't deserve to be used by the Galra. They deserve better creators."

**The Galra ship began flying towards Arus. The scene changed back to the castle. Shiro was standing in the middle of all four lions, as all their eyes began to glow. Allura clamped her hands together nervously as she waited for the black lion to emerge.**

"Why were you so nervous?" Hunk asked.

**The black lion appeared, much larger than the other lions. It roared, and the other lions stood up and roared as well. Allura and Coran cheered, before alarms began blaring in the castle. "Oh, quiznak!" Coran murmured.**

"Quiznak indeed."

**The Galra ship was flying into the atmosphere, with several fighter ships following it. "Sendak is entering the Arusian atmosphere. We need Voltron now!" Allura called.**

**Shiro got into the black lion and flew it out of the castle, and all the other paladins with their lions followed him.**

Pidge cheered. "I am so excited to see this again!"

**The lions landed in front. The fighter ships were still firing at the particle barrier when a Galra said, "The ion cannon is back online!"**

**"Fire."**

Everyone leaned forward in their seats excitedly.

**The ion cannon fired at the particle barrier and caused it to practically break immediately. Everyone braced themselves as debris fell everywhere and the ground shook.**

Hunk shivered. "That was so scary!"

**Hunk looked at the ion cannon. "Man, those Galra guys repair things fast!" Coran looked down at a hologram. "The particle barrier gets weaker with every blast! Once that shield goes down, the castle will be defenseless!" Coran warned.**

**"I can give you cover with the castle defenses for a while, but you have to form Voltron now or we'll all be destroyed!" Allura added, glaring at the ship.**

Shiro tapped Allura's nose flirtatiously. "You need to learn how to give pep talks too."

**"Geez, no pressure." Hunk muttered. The ion cannon blasted the castle again, weakening the barrier even more.**

**"Team Voltron, listen up! The only way to succeed is to give it all you've got! This looks bad, but we can do this! Are you with me?" Shiro called out.**

Allura hummed. "Like that?"

**The team nodded. Hunk started sweating. "Is everyone nodding? I'm nodding." He said.**

The team laughed.

**"Yes." They said in unison. "Let's do this!" Shiro demanded, and the lions ran out of the particle barrier. "Uh, how?" Lance asked.**

Shiro nodded, frowning. "We probably should have figured that out first."

**"Good question. Does anyone have any ideas on how to form Voltron?" Shiro asked. The Galra kept firing at the particle barrier. "Uh, I don't see a 'combine into a giant robot' button anywhere on my dashboard." Hunk replied.**

**The lions leapt to avoid getting blasted. "This is insane! Can't they cease fire for one minute while we figure this out? Is that too much to ask?" Pidge complained.**

Allura sighed. "If only."

**Pidge turned her lion around and bit into one fighter ship, throwing it at another. Keith turned around and tail blasted two other ships. "We've got to do something!" Keith growled.**

**Hunk flung his lion at Keith's. "Combine!" He shouted as the Red Lion rolled across the ground.**

Lance laughed. "Hunk, why would that work?"

**Keith groaned. "Hey!"**

**"Okay, that didn't work."**

Everyone laughed.

**"Quickly paladins! Our energy levels are getting low!" Allura called, wincing as another blast hit the particle barrier. Shiro frowned worriedly. "Maybe if we fly in formation we'll just combine?" Shiro suggested. "Take off on my cue."**

Everyone leaned forward in their seats anxiously.

**The lions lined up on the edge of a cliff. "One, two, three, Voltron!" Shiro shouted as the lions leapt off and flew upward in formation. "Here we go." Keith murmured. "Come on, come on!" Lance urged the lions.**

Pidge giggled despite the serious situation.

**"Nothing is happening!"**

**"Wait, I feel something!"**

**"I do too! I feel it. It's like we're all being pulled in the same direction."**

Pidge laughed even harder. "We-We were so weird!"

**"Uh, guys, I think I know why. Look up." Shiro said, pointing up. In front of them was the Galra ship, and they were all being lifted up by the tractor beam. "What the cheese?" Lance said.**

Keith burst out laughing. "What the cheese? Why would anyone ever say that?"

**"Sendak's ship is sucking us in like a black hole!" Pidge cried. Sendak stared out at the lions. "Send a report to Emperor Zarkon: The day is ours." He said.**

Allura smirked. "Not quite."

**The ion cannon hit the particle barrier one more time and it disappeared. "Oh no." Shiro whispered. Hunk started crying and said, "I don't care what you say, Shiro! I'm panicking now!"**

Coran shook his head disapprovingly. "Why would you give up so easily?"

**"It can't end here!"**

**"This is it."**

**"It's been an honor flying with you boys."**

Allura clamped her hands together, stressed out.

**Allura stared at the ship sorrowfully. Shiro gripped the sticks harder. "No! We can do this. We have to believe in ourselves. We can't give up. We are the universe's only hope! Everyone is relying us. We can't fail! We won't fail! If we work together, we'll win together!"**

Shiro smiled at Allura. "Like that."

**"Yeah!" The team shouted in unison. The lions roared and began to glow their respective colors, before flying out of the tractor beam and forming Voltron.**

The team cheered. "I say Vol and you say Tron! Vol-" Lance began, and then pointed at Keith. Keith smiled and cried, "Voltron!" Lance patted his shoulder. "We'll fix you later."

**Voltron had hit a huge dent in the side of the Galra ship. Sendak gasped. "Voltron!"**

**Keith said, "I can't believe it!" He smiled brightly. "We formed Voltron!" Pidge added.**

Allura smiled proudly. "Of course you did..."

**"I'm a leg!" Hunk shouted.**

**"How are we doing this?" Lance asked, mouth wide open.**

Pidge pointed to the ceiling. "With the power of friendship! My Little Pony style."

**Shiro chuckled. "I don't know, but let's get that cannon!"**

**Voltron grabbed the ion cannon, ripped it off, and threw it into the distance. Keith's arm punched a hole into the ship and blasted it, blowing up the front of the ship.**

Everyone cheered, Pidge stood up and started dancing. "Go Voltron, yeah, yeah, go Voltron!"

**Hunk kicked a hole into the other side of the ship and Pidge blasted it. They blew up most of the ship, and Sendak abandoned the ship. Voltron flew full speed at the ship and flew right through it. The entire ship blew up behind them.**

Coran grinned. "A wonderful firework show!"

**The scene changed to the paladins resting in front of the castle. "Good work, paladins!" Allura exclaimed excitedly. Shiro put a hand on Keith's shoulder.**

**"Thanks, pretty lady." Lance said.**

Pidge groaned and sat down. "You just had to ruin the mood."

**"We did it." Shiro muttered, smiling softly. Keith pulled off his helmet and said, "Heck yeah, we did."**

**"How did we do it?" Shiro asked. Hunk pulled off his helmet and said, "I was just like, screaming the whole time. Maybe that did it."**

"Doubt it." Pidge chuckled.

**Pidge looked sadly down at her feet, and Shiro put a hand on her shoulder. "We're not going to stop searching until we find your brother and father. Wherever they are, I know they'd be proud of you." He told her.**

"Aw." Hunk whispered.

**Allura clasped her hands together again. "We won the battle, but the war has only just begun. I'm afraid Zarkon will not stop until he gets these lions."**

**Coran interrupted, "Good thing you paladins know what you're doing, because you're going to have to form Voltron again and again."**

Keith chuckled. "We definitely did."

**"Totally...wait, what?" Hunk asked, frowning. Lance frowned too. "We barely survived forming Voltron this one time!" He exclaimed. Coran nodded and said, "And that was only one ship. Wait until you have to fight a whole fleet of them!"**

Hunk laughed. "Wait until we have to fight giant evil robots, too."

**"It's not going to be easy being the Defenders of the Universe." Coran said.**

**Everyone stared in shock. Shiro blinked before replying, "Defenders of the Universe, huh? Has a nice ring to it."**

Allura smiled brightly. "It truly does."

**The team turned around and stared up at their lions. Then the screen went dark.**

"Wow! That was so great, going back and seeing how it all began!" Lance said, smiling. He leaned back in his chair. "Let's go home now."

A disembodied voice called from above, "Not so fast. You've got a long way to go. Get ready for episode 2."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so glad I'm done with the first episode. The next episode will be out tomorrow or the day after! Thank you so much for reading.


	6. Some Assembly Required

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm very excited to be moving on from the first episode! This was really fun to write, so I hope you enjoy it.

**The episode began with an alarm blaring in the castle, startling Hunk out of bed.**

Lance laughed. "That's one way to do it."

**Hunk tried to walk out of the room, but slipped on his blanket and fell. Shiro was seen doing push ups in full paladin armor. Allura spoke over a loud speaker, "Everybody up! Zarkon's attacking!"**

**Shiro stood up and ran out of the room.**

"Why were you in full armor anyway? I don't train in my armor." Keith asked Shiro. Shiro shrugged.

**Lance was fast asleep, listening to music in his headphones, with a face mask on.**

Everyone groaned. "What? Is a man not allowed to have an excellent facial?" Lance asked, pointing to his face.

**Keith was laying in bed, sharpening a knife. "The castle is about to be destroyed!" Allura shouted, and he leapt out of bed, sliding on his jacket and running down the hall.**

Pidge snorted. "Do you sleep in your regular clothes?" She asked, not expecting Keith to nod. "I do, in fact. It makes it much easier to get out of bed in the morning if you're already set for the day."

**Pidge had fallen asleep in the room where the prisoners were healing, typing on a computer. "Go, go, go! We need Voltron now!" Allura said, startling Pidge into waking up and dropping the computer. She left the computer on the ground and ran.**

Shiro sighed. "You can't stay up late enough that you pass out, Pidge..." He muttered disapprovingly.

**"Come on! We can't survive much longer!"**

**Coran looked at Allura. "You have to sell it a bit more." He took the recording device from her and cleared his throat. "Oh, no! Allura's dead! Ugh, it's horrible! Her head fell off!"**

Allura giggled. "Not the best plan."

**Coran fell to the ground. "Wait, what? Her severed head is trying to speak to me! What is it, Allura's head? What are your final words?"**

**"Coran."**

**"Oh yes, Princess. I'm listening."**

Keith rolled his eyes. "Did he not notice all of us run into the room?"

**"It's over." Allura deadpanned. "Oh, I know! If only Voltron had been formed!" He cried dramatically. He looked over and saw all the paladins, except for Lance. He threw the device. "Oh. Time!"**

The team laughed.

**"So...I guess this wasn't an actual attack?" Shiro assumed. Allura glared at him. "And it's a good thing it wasn't because it took you...Coran?" She looked over at the man beside her. He looked down at the device in his hand. "Seventy five degrees. Oh wait, that's a meat thermometer!"**

Hunk burst out laughing. "Seems like the Alteans needed training, not us." He pointedly avoided Coran and Allura's glaring.

**Allura growled. "However long it was, it was too long! You must always be ready to do battle with Zarkon. Look at you! Only Shiro is in uniform. Keith, Pidge, Hunk, where are your bayards? And where is Lance?"**

Lance leaned over across Pidge and Shiro to smirk. "Nice of you think of me, Princess."

**As if on cue, Lance walked in in a robe, wearing blue lion slippers, holding a drink, and his face was shining. "Morning, everybody. What's going on?"**

Keith facepalmed.

**Allura ignored him and continued talking to the group. "Coran and I have been up for hours getting the castle back in order. We had to run a test on the alarms and decided to test you too. Guess which one failed."**

Pidge hummed. "All of us?"

**Hunk yawned. "Hey, you got to sleep for 10,000 years, man. Monday night, I was on Earth! Now I've flown through space, fought some evil alien named Zarkon, eaten goo in some weird castle...That's a lot to process in...I don't know, what day is it?"**

They laughed. "I made a perfectly good point." Hunk pointed out.

**"It's the third quintant of the Spicolian movement. Hump day!" Coran exclaimed.**

"So...Wednesday?"

**Hunk frowned. "It is a lot to process."**

Lance nodded quickly. "I am still processing to this very day."

**Allura summoned a hologram keyboard. "You must understand the stakes of our mission. Over the last 10,000 years, the castle picked up distress beacons from the following locations." A giant map appeared of different distress signals.**

Keith huffed. "Does that automatically mean they're all about Zarkon?" (me questioning everything)

**"So we have to assume that Zarkon has conquered almost the entire known universe."**

"Once again, you don't know that all the distress beacons were about Zarkon. 10,000 years is a long time."

**Allura spun the map to a place where there were less distress beacons. "Earth is here. An attack on your planet is inevitable."**

Lance flicked Keith in the cheek. "Stop ruining the fun with your theorizing."

**"Oh no."**

**"Exactly. Our mission is to free all those planets. Coran and I are getting the castle ready to leave Arus. During that time, you will have to learn to form Voltron, so we can begin fighting Zarkon."**

Shiro shrugged. "Always right."

**Shiro looked down. "The Princess is right. Let's get to our lions and start training." He said, beginning to turn around.**

**Pidge stopped him. "Wait! But I want to talk to the prisoners we rescued from the Galra ship."**

Everyone was silent.

**"Uh, negative, number five. I have you ranked by height." Coran said, bending over to look Pidge in the eyes.**

Lance burst out laughing. "That means Keith is number four! Pidge doesn't even count in the height contest, really, she's too small. Keith is practically the shortest!"

**"The prisoners need to remain in the cryo-replenishers until tomorrow."**

**"That's right. Get to your lions."**

Hunk chuckled. "You were just shut down, Pidge. Totally shut down."

**There was a short montage of everybody getting into their elevators and into armor, before using the zipline to get to their ships so they could fly to get their lions. (what)**

"Why are these weird montages necessary? They're boring." Pidge yawned.

**Hunk's zipline stopped halfway down. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. What's going on? What's going-" He fell onto the ground with a groan and the zipline left without him. "You've got to be kidding me." He said as he began sliding down the floor.**

The team laughed. "Daily struggles of Hunk." Pidge teased.

**The team, except for Hunk, got into their ships and used them to get to their lions. Hunk fell and just barely missed getting into his ship, so it left without him too. He groaned.**

Hunk blushed in embarrassment. "I just had to get used to things first!"

**Everyone but Hunk was in their lions at the front of the castle. "Should someone go in after him?"**

**Seconds later, Hunk flew out in the Yellow Lion. "Hi, guys. Sorry everybody. Seriously though, can't they park these things like a little closer to the bridge?" He said as he landed next to the others.**

Pidge squeaked. "I've never actually seen us exactly lined up. It's awesome."

**Shiro nodded. "Okay, guys. Let's just fly in tight formation until we're totally in sync."**

**Allura said, "Feel the bond with your lions and your fellow pilots until five become one unit and you form Voltron!"**

The team groaned. "If only it had been as easy as you said." Lance muttered.

**The team flew by in tight formation a couple times until they got extremely bored and couldn't continue acting excited. "Clearly this isn't working. Let's settle down for a bit." Shiro murmured, defeated.**

Allura gasped. "You gave up?"

**Keith interrupted. "Maybe we should try building Voltron from the ground up."**

**"What do you mean?"**

**"I mean let's try literally building Voltron, like stacking on top of each other."**

Coran shrugged. "Not a bad plan for the time."

**Lance laughed. "Like a cheerleader pyramid?" He teased. Keith grumbled, "You got a better idea?"**

**Shiro shrugged. "It's worth a try."**

Allura cheered. "That is the spirit I like to see!"

**The scene changed to the lions stacked oddly. Lance and Pidge were on the bottom, Keith was stacked on top of them, with Shiro stacked on top of Keith, and Hunk on the very top.**

Allura' smile dropped. "That does not look like Voltron."

**Shiro looked at Hunk with a blank look. "Hunk, what are you doing?"**

**"What do you mean?"**

**"You're supposed to be the leg. Over there."**

Coran nodded. "Yes, that was the old formation I believe."

**"What? No, no, no. I'm pretty sure last time we did it I was the head."**

**"You yelled, I'm a leg!" Lance shouted.**

**"Yeah, I was yelling a lot of things."**

Allura began rubbing her forehead like she had a headache. Shiro patted her back.

**Keith sighed. "Shiro's the head." He growled.**

**"Well, all the time?"**

**"Let's just try it my way for now."**

**"Okay, but next time I call head."**

Allura sighed. "My goodness, this may have been a mistake."

**The scene changed to them stacked properly. Keith was on top of Lance ( ;) ), and Pidge was on top of Hunk. Shiro was slowly floating his lion down to stand on the others. "Okay, arms and legs, and I'll form the head."**

Lance stood up and shouted. "AND I'LL FORM THE HEAD!"

The others stared at him questioningly. "What? It's a meme."

**"Feel the bonds with your lions. And focus your energy on forming Voltron. Focus." Shiro whispered.**

Allura smiled. "That sounds like something I would say."

**A couple seconds went by and nothing happened. "Is everyone bonding and focusing?" Shiro asked.**

Coran shrugged. "I believe so."

**"Why was this so much easier before?" Lance asked, sounding annoyed.**

**Shiro sighed. "Let's take a break."**

Coran poked Allura. "Yes. A _break_."

**Allura sent a message to them. "Sorry to interrupt, but I may be able to help. Yesterday, you weren't able to form Voltron until you were in the heat of battle."**

The team nodded slowly, forgetting what happened at this point.

**"Yeah."**

**"I'm listening."**

**"You're right."**

**"Yeah, I guess."**

Hunk frowned. "Why didn't I say anything?"

**"Perfect! Because I need to run a diagnostics test on all of the castle defenses. This should help!" Allura said, pressing a button with a bright smile. The particle barrier turned on and the castle began shooting at the lions.**

The team gasped. "I remember now! That was insane!" Lance shouted.

**The lions, previously laying down, got up and ran. The team screamed.**

Allura blushed. "I suppose I was being a bit extreme. I apologize."

**Keith's eyes were wide with fear. "Allura, what are you doing?"**

Allura's blush brightened.

**Allura smiled sweetly. "Running a diagnostics test on the castle defenses and inspiring you! I believe in you, paladins! Let fear be your guide! Form Voltron!"**

Coran pulled on his mustache. "I told you there were better ways to inspire them."

**Lance turned his lion away. "Oh, forget this! I'm going back to the castle!" He began running for the castle while avoiding blasts.**

Pidge punched his arm. "Rude! You left all of us!"

**Lance flew straight at the particle barrier, but bounced off and hit the ground, rolling down the hill.**

"You deserved that." Keith murmured.

**Hunk kept dodging blasts. "Please, stop! Please! Have mercy on us!"**

The team laughed. "There's no way she would ever willingly let us go. She decided to be crazy that day." Shiro teased her lightly.

**Allura raised her eyebrow. "You think Zarkon is going to go easy on you? He's probably on his way right now to destroy us all!" She locked onto the lions and walked away.**

Coran hummed. "Insanity."

**The scene changed to Zarkon. "You have returned early. Did you complete your mission?"**

**The Galra in front of Zarkon bowed. "Sir, the moon's crust became unstable. Staying any longer would have cost half my crew."**

Pidge nodded. "Solid assumption."

**Zarkon hummed. "Perhaps. But the half that survived would have been stronger. Weakness is an infection. Better to cut it off than let it spread."**

**Two drones pulled the Galra away, despite their protests.**

Allura flinched. "That is...harsh to say the least. I wish I had been aware of the suffering within Galra ranks."

**Zarkon turned to Haggar. "What have you and your Druids come up with to capture Voltron?"**

**She replied, "I have been working on perfecting something. Something that will strike fear into the hearts of any who stand against it. Voltron may have surprised Sendak, but they will not be able to overcome my creation."**

"Uh, well, we did, so." Lance trailed off.

**The scene changed to the paladins laying on the couch, looking exhausted. Allura walked in, talking to Coran. "Are we at full power on condenser number five yet?"**

**He shook his head. "No. Still 84%."**

"Oh, yeah, just have a casual conversation while you think we're dying. Thanks." Hunk laughed.

**Allura looked up and noticed the paladins. She grinned. "You did it! You formed Voltron!"**

Pidge snorted. "I wish."

**Keith glanced at her. "No. The shooting stopped and the particle barrier shut down, so we just flew in." He admitted.**

Lance groaned. "Why would you give us away?"

**Allura glared at them. "What?"**

**Coran looked up, startled. "Oh, sorry Princess. I had to turn off the castle defenses to test the fire suppressors."**

Pidge walked over to Coran and bowed in front of him. "Our lord and savior."

**Shiro walked in. "What are you guys doing in here? We're not taking a break."**

Allura pointed to the screen. "See, he agrees."

**"Shiro is right! You should be training."**

Pidge gestured to the screen. "I think we were, Past Allura."

**Hunk rolled his eyes. "We've been training! When can we go back to Earth?"**

**Pidge leaned forward. "I'm not going back until I find my family."**

Coran cleared his throat. "Focus?"

**Shiro interrupted. "Guys! There won't be an Earth unless we figure out how to fight Zarkon."**

**Lance glared. "How are we going to fight? We can't even figure out how to form Voltron!"**

Keith chuckled. "Well maybe instead of arguing we should have tried to figure it out?"

**Coran spoke up, "Well, I'm not surprised. The original paladins fought hundreds of battles together, side by side. They were like a pack of yalmors, linked at the ears." Coran pulled on his ears.**

The team laughed.

**Lance looked at the rest of the team. "Wow. Yeah, that's definitely not us." He said as he laid back down.**

"Excuse you." Pidge huffed.

**"During the last attack, your survival instincts forced you to work as a team, but that will only get you so far. You'll have to become a real team to have any chance of forming Voltron and then beating Zarkon next time. You should try working out on the training deck."**

Hunk groaned. "That sucked."

**"There's a training deck?"**

Pidge laughed. "Convenient that you didn't tell us that before shooting at us outside."

**The scene changed to Haggar walking into a dark room. "I think I have the opportunity you've been waiting for." She said to a beast hidden by darkness. "How would you like to get your revenge against the champion?" The beast narrowed it's glowing yellow eyes and stepped into the light, though only its face was visible.**

The team shrunk back. "Gross. That thing's weird."

**The scene changed back to the paladins, who were in a circle in the training deck. "One, two, one, two." Coran tested the mic. "Okay, listen up guys. The paladin code demands that you put your team members' safety above your own. A swarm of drones is about to attack."**

Allura clapped slowly. "I appear to not be the only one who goes too far."

**The drones flew out and begin circling the paladins. "It's up to you to do everything you can to protect the members of your team." The paladins formed shields from their wrists.**

Coran rolled his eyes. "This was not life threatening."

**"Wait, what's going on?" Hunk asked, and then gasped as his wrist formed a shield. "Woah. Did you guys get one of these?"**

Pidge laughed.

**The drones began shooting and instead of lifting his shield, Hunk ducked and let Pidge get hit by the drone. She grunted and fell through a hole in the floor.**

Pidge glared at Hunk. "Wow, thanks."

**"Protect your teammates or no one will be there to protect you!" Coran called.**

**Hunk got shot in the back by a drone and fell through the floor as well.**

Pidge smirked. "You deserved it."

**Lance, Keith, and Shiro backed up until they were back to back. "Time to increase intensity." The drones began shooting at a much faster speed.**

Allura smiled at Shiro. "Of course you were one of the last few. You've always been great."

**Lance turned around. "You keeping up over there, Keith?"**

**"Just concentrate on keeping me safe."**

Coran laughed. "Yes, that would have been the smart decision. But Lance has never been known as the smart one at all, has he?"

**Lance scoffed. "Me? I own this drill. You're the one who needs to concentrate."**

**The drones lowered and began shooting at their legs, so Keith and Shiro kneeled, but Lance was too distracted to notice them.**

Pidge facepalmed. "Wow, nice job owning the drill, Lance."

**Lance lifted his foot to avoid getting hit and instead the blast hit Keith. Keith fell through the floor with a scream.**

Lance winced and turned to Keith. "I'm really sorry about that, man."

Keith gasped dramatically. "Lance being sorry? What a rare sight!"

Lance smirked. "Never mind, mullet." He teased.

**Lance managed to keep a couple blasts off himself and Shiro before one hit him in the back and he fell through the floor as well. Shiro immediately got blasted and fell too.**

Pidge burst out laughing. "I'm-I'm sorry but the way Shiro fell was hilarious!"

**Coran groaned, hiding his face in his hands.**

"Mood." Lance commented.

**The scene changed to Lance in the invisible maze. "To form Voltron, you need to be able to trust each other. This ancient paladin maze will teach you that trust. Your teammate can see the walls, but you cannot."**

Keith and Lance groaned. "I hated that thing." Lance complained.

**"So listen carefully, if you touch the walls you'll get a slight shock."**

Lance blinked. "Slight?"

**Lance put on his helmet. "Wait, who's guiding me through?"**

**"Take two steps forward."**

Hunk laughed. "Oh, I can already imagine how this is going to go."

**Lance pouted. "Oh no, not Keith. Why does he get to be the man on the mic?"**

**"Now just sit tight, you'll get your turn." Coran replied.**

Allura groaned. "Why can't they just behave?" She whispered to Shiro.

**Keith repeated himself. "Like I said, two steps forward, turn right, and take three steps that direction."**

**Lance muttered something under his breath and turned right. He got shocked immediately and screamed. "You did that on purpose!"**

Allura facepalmed.

**"You're not listening!" Keith said.**

**"You said to turn right!"**

**"But before that, I said take two steps forward."**

Pidge groaned. "Watching this whole thing is giving me a headache. I want to go to bed."

**Lance sighed. "Take two steps-" He got shocked again. "Okay, we're switching places right now!"**

Pidge pointed to the screen. "You didn't even go forward, you turned left."

**The scene changed to the paladins flying their lions. "You'll never be able to form Voltron unless you have a strong bond with your lion." Coran told them.**

**Lance smiled. "No problem! Me and Blue are best buds for life, for real!"**

Keith blushed and tried not to think about how cute Lance was.

**"Perfect, then you'll have no issues with this exercise. Everyone, put your lions in a nosedive!" Coran pointed to the floor.**

Allura shut her eyes and tried to imagine a better world.

**The paladins obeyed, flying their lions straight down. "This is an expert level drill that you shouldn't attempt unless you've been flying for years, but we're in a bit of a rush, so here we go. Activating training helmets." Coran frowned.**

Pidge glared at Coran. "Are you sure you weren't trying to murder us?"

**The glass of the helmets turned a dark black and the paladins could no longer see. Lance screamed. "Coran, what's happening? Why can't I see?"**

Pidge rested her chin on her hand. "We could have taken the helmets off."

**"You must learn to see through your lions' eyes. The goal is to pull up right before you hit the ground. Feel what the lion feels!" Coran instructed them.**

Allura sighed. "Maybe I do need inspirational speech lessons."

**Hunk whimpered and pulled his lion back. "Mine feels scared!"**

"Reasonable."

**Lance's eye brows were furrowed. "You still going, Keith?" He taunted.**

**Keith seemed calm when he replied, "You know it. You?"**

"At least they don't fight as much anymore." Shiro offered as an attempt to calm Allura, who currently looked like she wanted to bash her head into a wall.

**Lance pushed the sticks forward. "Going? I'm speeding up!"**

**Keith pushed his sticks forward as well. "Oh yeah?"** Allura sighed. "This whole thing is giving me a headache and I am very glad I was not a paladin at the time."

**"Must be getting close."**

**"Must be."**

Coran chuckled. "This is so stupid!"

**"You getting scared?" Lance teased him with a smirk.**

**"I am not scared!" Keith shouted as he sped up the lion. They both crashed into the ground headfirst.**

"Wow, you two are idiots. You know, you guys, we all know you love each other, there's no need to pretend!" Pidge teased. Keith and Lance blushed bright red and began stammering excuses.

**Lance's lion fell over. "I win." He groaned.**

**Shiro and Pidge were still flying. "What was that noise? Did they crash?" Pidge asked worriedly.**

Lance patted her shoulder a little too hard, annoyed after Pidge's last comment. "Thanks for the concern, pal."

**Pidge pulled back at the last moment and attempted to fly the lion away, but instead crashed into the ground and rolled.**

Allura laughed.

**Shiro continued flying and managed to be able to see through the eyes of the lion.**

Allura breathed out in relief. "Finally, someone succeeds. And of course it is you." She smiled, turning to Shiro and pressing a soft kiss to his lips. Shiro kissed back immediately, though he was blushing. Pidge let out a high pitched scream as she saw them.

**Shiro pulled up just before hitting the ground and then continued flying, dodging different stones and cliffs. "I think I'm getting this."**

Everyone was too distracted by Shiro and Allura kissing to pay attention to the screen. "Oh my god, it's happening!" Hunk loudly whispered to Lance. Pidge squeezed into Keith's seat with him, feeling as though she were intruding by being too close to Allura and Shiro.

**"Excellent, Shiro!" Coran complimented. The scene changed to the castle.**

Shiro and Allura pulled back, blushing a bright red. They looked back at the screen and neither said a word. Pidge slowly moved back into her seat.

**"The most important part of paladin training is being able to meld your minds and focus on one thing: Voltron." Coran said. The paladins were sitting in a circle with strange bands around their heads that allowed them to see each others minds.**

Pidge rolled her eyes. "I hated those things."

**"Everything else has to fade away."**

Hunk smiled wide. "I love that song!" (listen to it. it's great)

**"This technique will be essential every time you form Voltron. So, relax and open your mind. No walls, no secrets between paladins. Come on, everyone, now clear everything. Focus on forming your lion."**

**Everyone had a hologram of what they were thinking of in front of them. Pidge's was a picture of her and her brother, though no one knew that yet.**

No one said anything, waiting for action.

**Shiro formed his lion first, then the others, except for Pidge. "Bring your lions together and form Voltron! Keep your minds open, work together, good! Keep focusing, only one to go!" Coran urged.**

**Pidge continued to struggle. Keith opened one eye. "Pidge, stop thinking about your girlfriend!"**

The team laughed, even Pidge.

**"I wasn't! Hunk was rooting around in my head!" Pidge accused. Hunk opened his eyes and said, "I thought we were open. You can look in my head hole."**

Pidge giggled. "Ew."

**"Everyone has to be able to look in everyone's head holes! Clear your minds!" Coran exclaimed, frustrated.**

Allura looked like she was about to fall asleep. "I don't know if I can take much more stupidity in 20 minutes."

**They managed to all form their lions, and Coran voiced encouragement. They were able to form their lions and then put together Voltron, until Pidge's mind strayed and turned back into Matt and her.**

**"Pidge!" Lance complained. Pidge stood up with a growl and through the device on the ground. "I'm done with this! Look, I don't like everyone grubbing around in my head!"**

Lance bit his lip. "Sorry we were rude, Pidge. We didn't know."

**"Oh, come on, Pidge. We're starting to get the hang of this." Shiro said calmly.**

**Pidge looked down. "I'm just-I'm just tired, okay?" She said softly.**

Allura's eyes softened.

**"Okay. Let's take a break." Shiro told everyone. Everyone sat on the floor and Coran handed each of them a water packet. "You have been working hard, maybe it's time to relax a little." Coran said.**

Lance put his feet on Keith's lap. "That does sound nice right now."

**Allura walked in with a frown. "What are you doing lying around? You're supposed to be training!"**

**"Just resting a bit, you know, you can't push too hard." Coran explained.**

**"What do you mean 'can't push too hard'? Get up, you lazy lumps! It's time you faced the Gladiator!"**

Allura looked guilty as she looked at the others. "I apologize for how I acted. I was just afraid and I-"

Shiro put a hand on her shoulder. "No one blames you for being scared. We understand, Allura."

**The scene switched to the paladins in full armor, holding their weapons. "To defeat the Gladiator, five paladins must fight as one." Coran said.**

**In the middle of the room, the Gladiator dropped from a hole in the ceiling. Hunk started firing his weapon at it wildly.**

Pidge choked on her spit as she laughed.

**A blast nearly hit Keith, but he put up his shield just in time.**

Lance gasped. "Hunk, be careful, dude!"

**The Gladiator knocked Hunk down and electrocuted him.**

Hunk sighed. "And I'm out."

**Pidge ran at the Gladiator, hitting its weapon with her own. The Gladiator hit her in the side a couple times before hitting her straight in the face and tossing her across the room. Pidge bounced off Hunk and fell.**

Allura laughed. "This is quite humorous, actually!"

**Lance started shooting at the Gladiator, but missed each time. The Gladiator hit his arm, and knocked him back. It continued swinging at him until it knocked his weapon out of his hands.**

Lance blushed. "I hadn't had any experience yet!"

**It hit Lance over the head, and Keith swung his sword into the Gladiator's back, only for the Gladiator to turn around and hit him in the chest. The Gladiator turned back to Lance, hit him in the head again, hit him in the stomach, and lifted him. It swung him around and knocked him into Keith.**

"Good teamwork, guys." Pidge said sarcastically.

**Shiro activated his robot hand as the Gladiator raced toward him. Shiro had a flashback of his time as a prisoner and froze up.**

Allura began to look incredibly guilty.

**Keith jumped in front of Shiro and blocked the blow of the Gladiator. Keith continued to hold back the Gladiator. "Shiro, are you okay?" He choked out.**

Lance smiled sadly. "Sorry I didn't help out. I should have."

**The Gladiator knocked Keith's legs out from under him and hit him in the chest, sending him crashing into Shiro. They both fell to the ground.**

Allura sighed. "I am terribly sorry I put you all through that. It was insensitive of me. Even if you do not blame me, you should. I was careless."

The team smiled at her.

**The Gladiator turned off and fell over. Allura walked in with a glare. "That combat simulator was set at a level fit for an Altean child!"**

"That's child abuse." Keith pointed out.

**"You're not even close to working as a team, let alone ready to face Zarkon!" She insulted them angrily. The scene changed to the team in the dining hall, sitting the table, food goo sitting in front of them.**

Pidge gasped excitedly. "This was so fun!"

**"Ahoy, young paladins! I've whipped up a big batch of focusing food. After this meal, you'll be forming Voltron six times a movement and twice on the astral conflux!" Coran said happily. ** ** ** ** **Shiro smiled respectfully. "It smells great. Thank you, Coran." He picked up the fork.************

"Oh boy."

**Coran pointed to them with a device and pressed a small button. Handcuffs formed, tying their hands to each other's.**

Allura laughed. "Oh, that night was so fun!"

**"Hold the phone!" Lance said, looking down at Keith and his hands. Coran was smiling evilly. "I saw a lot of solid individual performances today, but you're still struggling to work as a team. So, welcome to the final bonding exercise of today."**

Coran grinned at the screen. "I did indeed enjoy that."

**Hunk pulled, attempting to get out. Lance glared at him. Hunk turned to Coran and said, "Coran, I want you to think about what you're doing."**

**"This one's a classic. You get to feed each other, like a pack of yalmors!" Coran laughed.**

Lance laughed. "What is the obsession with yalmors all about?"

**The scene changed to a giant robot made by the Galra, with Haggar standing in front of it. She raised her hands and the cords attached to the robot began to glow purple. Its eyes opened threateningly, and the scene changed.**

Hunk groaned. "Ugh, overdramatic."

**Hunk was attempting to push a spoon into his mouth, but accidentally punched himself in the face because Lance moved. "Ow!" He complained, glaring at Lance. Lance glanced over apologetically. "Oh, sorry."**

**Hunk moved the spoon to his mouth again, and ended up biting Lance's hand. "Ew!" Lance cried, pulling his hand back.**

Lance chuckled fondly. "You don't pay much attention to logic when you're hungry."

**Lance pulled his hand over to Hunk quickly, and ended up pulling his other hand too, pulling Keith's hand into Lance's food goo.**

**"Oh, nice! You defiled my food goo!" Lance growled.**

Pidge adjusted her glasses. "Actually, you pulled his hand."

Lance muttered under his breath and then said out loud, "Always on Keith's side in this arguments, huh Pidge?"

**"It's your fault!" Keith defended himself. "This is ridiculous."**

**Allura was now sitting at the table and growled as food goo came flying in her direction. "Do earthlings ever stop complaining?"**

Keith smirked. "Not when you're torturing them."

**Shiro raised his eyebrow. "Can't you just give us a break? Everyone's been working really hard today."**

Coran laughed. "Even Shiro knew it was too far."

**Keith stood up. "Yeah! We're not some prisoners for you to toy with like-like..." Keith struggled to find a word.**

**"Like a bunch of toy prisoners!" Lance finished.**

"The epitome of intelligence, folks." Pidge teased.

**"Yes! Thank you, Lance." Keith looked down at him. Coran leaned forward with a glare. "You do not yell at the Princess!" He shouted.**

**Pidge rolled her eyes. "Oh, the princess of what? We're the only ones here and she's no princess of ours."**

Allura nodded slowly. "Fair point."

**Allura flung a spoonful of food goo at Pidge. Keith glared at her and shouted, "Go loose, Pidge!" before throwing a plate of food goo across the table at Allura. Allura screamed before Coran blocked it and flung a much larger spoonful of food goo at everyone.**

Allura laughed. "Oh this is the good part!"

**Hunk shook the food goo off. "Oh it's on now." He shoved his face into his food goo and then pulled Shiro and Lance's hands with him as he pushed on his cheeks, spitting food goo at Allura and Coran.**

Keith stuck out his tongue. "That's really gross, actually."

**Coran and Allura began flinging food goo across the table at everyone. Keith was hit with some, and Pidge blocked some with her hand. Lance and Hunk worked together to fling a plateful across. Pidge and Keith did the same. Coran blocked some food goo for Allura. Hunk spit more food goo. Soon, everyone was covered.**

The team laughed at the great memory.

**Allura sat down, exhausted. The paladins looked at each other and burst out laughing. "Enough! Do you see what you're doing?" Allura shouted, startling the paladins. She lifted her head and smiled. "You're finally working together as one!**

Shiro shook his head with a grin. "It's weird to think that out of everything, a food fight is how we bonded."

**Keith glanced at Lance, smiling. "Hey, she's right."**

**Lance nodded. "I actually don't hate you right now."**

Hunk grinned. "Couple of the year award goes to-" Lance covered Hunk's mouth.

**Hunk smiled brightly. "You guys thinking what I'm thinking?" Hunk asked.**

**Shiro raised his fist. "Let's go form Voltron!"**

**"Yeah!" Everyone agreed.**

The team cheered.

**Hunk frowned. "Actually, I was thinking dessert but yeah! Let's do it!"**

Hunk laughed. "I kind of do ruin moments, huh?"

**Everyone turned to go a different way and fell down on top of each other. The scene changed to the paladins getting into their lions again.**

**"Everyone ready to do this?"**

**"Roger that!"**

**"It's on!"**

**"Yes, sir!"**

**"I was born ready!"**

Allura laughed. "The enthusiasm is good."

**The Black lion roared. "Then let's go!" Shiro called.**

**"Yeah!" The others shouted in unison.**

"wooo." Hunk whispered.

**They formed Voltron.**

The team cheered, Hunk grabbing onto Pidge and squeezing her tightly as tears streamed from his eyes. "I just love seeing this again!"

**Allura and Coran looked at Voltron. "I told you I could get them to do it. They just needed a common enemy." Allura said, her hands over her heart.**

**Coran nodded. "It's true. Like the old proverb says, 'A man can be driven to do anything if a beautiful woman is just really, really mean to him.' "**

Everyone laughed, even Allura.

**Allura sighed. The scene changed to the paladins on the couch. "Man, that was cool!" Lance said excitedly. "I'm so charged up, I don't know if I'm going to be able to sleep tonight."**

**Keith smiled. "Not me. When my head hits the pillow, I'm going to be lights out!"**

Pidge giggled. "That's lame, Keith." She teased.

**Hunk slid in between Lance and Keith. "I just wanted you to know that I realized when we were in Voltron, we're brothers, man!" Hunk said, pulling Lance and Keith against him. "You know? Like we're totally connected. No secrets, no barriers, no nothing. Brothers all the way."**

Keith laughed. "I look so uncomfortable."

**Shiro put a hand on Pidge's shoulder, and Pidge patted the mice beside her.**

Allura teared up. "This is so adorable I don't know what to say."

**"I love you guys." Hunk said to the team, smiling. Keith smiled back. "G-forces mess with your head a little?" He asked.**

**Hunk thought for a moment. "Maybe a little. I don't know. It's been a tough few days." He let go of the two. Keith climbed over the back of the couch and left the room. Shiro stood up to leave, Hunk and Lance following. "Going to bed, Pidge?" Shiro asked.**

Pidge laughed. "You can't even deny that Dad move."

**"In a minute." Pidge replied. Shiro smiled softly. "Good work today. We're really coming together." He said before leaving the room.**

**Pidge smiled, and then her face dropped as she pulled out a picture of Matt and her.**

Keith smiled reassuringly at the girl. Pidge grinned.

**The scene changed to a Galra ship. "This beast will allow us to destroy the paladins. And then, Voltron will be ours." Zarkon growled, speaking to Haggar.**

Lance rolled his eyes. "Sure, just ruin the moment, Zarkon."

**A ship left the hangar and the screen turned black.**

"Is there more? Please, tell me there's more!" Hunk begged the voice.

The disembodied voice replied, "Get ready for Episode Three."

 


	7. Return of the Gladiator

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time I introduce the new updating schedule. I was able to update quickly these past few chapters because of it being the weekend and me not having much work to do. Now I have school and tons of homework and tests. These chapters take a lot of time to write, and therefore will take a lot of time away from my schoolwork. My new updating schedule is every 2-3 days. Thank you for understanding.
> 
> I hope you all like the reactions to this episode!

**The episode began with Zarkon in the middle of a room, surrounded by five druids. A large ball of energy shocked Zarkon, and then Haggar walked in. "Sire, the beast is almost to Arus." She told Zarkon.**

Allura shivered. "Ugh, her voice creeps me out. It's so weird seeing the inside of the Galra ships back then." She said.

**Zarkon stood up. "This quintessence gives me so much power, I could fight the paladins myself." Zarkon then clenched his fists, purple electricity sparking around them.**

Lance snorted. "Then why didn't you yet?"

**Haggar smiled and replied, "There is no need. My creature will destroy them and capture the Voltron lions for you. Then, the most powerful weapon in the universe will be ours." The Galra ship shot closer to Arus.**

**The scene changed to the castle.**

Keith started whistling. "Well, I don't feel dead, so."

**"Great job training today, guys. We're really getting the hang of Voltron." Shiro said. The four paladins, Pidge wasn't with them, walked in side by side. "Seriously! How far do you think my lion kicked that broken alien ship?" Lance asked them excitedly. "Must have been like a mile!"**

Pidge laughed. "I bet it was like a foot and a half."

**Keith turned to glare at his teammate. "Yeah, that'll come in handy when the Galra challenge Voltron to a soccer match."**

The team laughed. "That was such a better insult that mine!" Pidge congratulated Keith with a salute. "I give my crown to you."

**Lance crossed his arm. "Hey, I did something cool and you can't handle it, I get it."**

**Keith rolled his eyes. "Your kick ruined our balance, we fell."**

Shiro scratched his shoulder. "That hurt. The head of Voltron crashed right into a rock."

**"That falling part was Hunk's fault!" Lance defended himself, but Keith had already walked away. "Hey!" Hunk interjected.**

**Shiro walked over to the dining table and sat down. "Alright, save your energy for fighting Zarkon."**

Lance smirked. "I hope the Galra challenge me to a rap duel or something cool like that. Then I'll show you guys."

**Coran walked in, holding a tray. "Hello, guys! How was the Voltron workout?"**

**"We're getting there. Are you and Allura almost done fixing this castle so we can leave this planet?" Shiro asked. "I feel like we're sitting ducks here on Arus."** Pidge nodded. "Yeah. All the good stuff happens once we leave Arus. I forgot how long you guys took on something so simple."

Coran glared. "It was not simple, I'll have you know!"

**Coran set down the tray. "Just about. In the meantime, to get your minds off those duck seats you're worried about, I made you guys an authentic ancient paladin lunch!"**

**Hunk sat down at the table and started drooling, waiting to see the dish.**

Hunk laughed at himself. Pidge scoffed. "You're like a hungry puppy."

**Coran lifted the top of the tray off, revealing a gross looking green circle with yellow things coming out of it. Keith, Hunk, Shiro, and Lance shrunk back, looking disgusted.**

Allura choked on her laughter. "Oh my goodness! That looks terrible, even to me!"

**Hunk sighed. "Coran, you just got me hooked on that goo and now you're switching it up?"**

**"This is packed with nutrients!"**

Hunk leaned over the rest of the team, using Lance's head as an armrest. "Coran, I can teach you how to cook sometime." He offered. Coran's face lit up with a big smile. "Oh yes, that sounds like such fun!"

**Hunk sniffed the food and wrinkled his nose. "Ugh, it smells disgusting!" Coran also leaned forward and took a sniff. "I know! That's how you know it's healthy!"**

Keith shrugged. "To be fair, he's not wrong."

**"Coran, we're on a planet with fresh herbs, spices, and whatever this thing is." Hunk said, pulling out a leafy herb from his pocket. "A tuber, maybe? If you'll excuse me, I'm going to head back to the kitchen and spice things up." Hunk promptly left the room and headed to the kitchen. Keith and Lance walked to go sit on the far end of the table, still seeming grossed out.**

Pidge winked at Lance.

**Shiro looked at Coran. "Where's Pidge?"**

**Coran was eating when he replied, "He's probably checking on those prisoners we rescued from Zarkon. They'll all be waking soon in the infirmary."**

Pidge pressed her hand over her heart dramatically. "Wow, guys, thank you for wondering about me." She brushed away a fake tear. "It means so much."

**Shiro stood up and walked to leave the room. Coran stopped him by shoving the strange ancient paladin lunch in his face. "Open the hatch! Food lion coming in!" He began making a whirring noise like an airplane.**

The team laughed.

**Shiro inched away. "No...just...no." He left the room.**

**"You don't know what you're missing!" Coran called after him.**

Allura laughed. "Well, that's polite."

**The scene changed to the prisoners they saved, still in healing pods. Pidge was anxiously tapping her foot on the ground. Shiro walked in and stood beside her. "You're as anxious as me."**

**Pidge turned to the aliens. "These aliens we saved know something about my family. They have to!"**

**"I hope so." Shiro replied.**

Lance smiled softly. "This friendship is hitting me in the feels."

**Pidge frowned. "They recognized you, didn't they? They called you Champion. What does that even mean?" She looked down at her feet. Shiro sighed and closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again. "I don't know. I can't remember much of anything from that time. But the way those guys looked at me when we freed them...I don't know if I want to find out."**

Keith continued watching and tried not to feel hurt. These kinds of things were the things Shiro had always told Keith, and back then he just began telling it all to Pidge so easily. Keith supposed it didn't matter, but he couldn't help but feel replaced.

**A pod opened and an alien opened its eyes, taking a breath.**

"Woah." Everyone whispered in unison.

**The scene changed back to the dining table. Hunk slid several Earth foods across the table and watched as Keith and Lance devoured it with a proud look.**

**Allura stepped forward and smiled. "They like the paladin lunch."**

**Coran was glaring at them. "I don't want to talk about it."**

The team laughed.

**Allura ignored him and continued. "I just got the final nebulon booster working. We should be able to leave Planet Arus tomorrow and take the fight to Zarkon."**

**Just as she finished, an alarm blared. Lance sucked up the last of his noodles and stood up. Allura turned on a screen to see the issue. It was a clip of a small, harmless looking alien running toward the castle.**

Allura gasped and smiled brightly. "The Arusians!"

**"What is that?" Keith demanded.**

Lance laughed. "Aw, Keith was scared." He teased. Keith ignored him, turning away.

**Allura was frowning. "I don't know what it is. Maybe it's a local Arusian. He's approaching the castle." She replied.**

**The Arusian raced forward with a battle cry, then hid behind another rock, and then repeated this.**

Hunk sighed happily. "I miss those little guys."

**"Aww!" Hunk cried. Lance shrugged. "They don't look that dangerous."**

**Keith continued glaring at the screen. "You never know." He pulled out his bayard, but got interrupted by Allura.**

Shiro chuckled. "Oh, Keith..."

**"No. Alteans believe in peace first. Let's go welcome them." Allura calmed Keith. She turned and walked out. Hunk and Lance followed eagerly.**

**"Aw, that's adorable!"**

**"Hey, maybe we can knit him a little sweater!"**

Coran chuckled. "Well, maybe a bit more caution than that."

**Keith held his bayard tightly. "I'm not taking any chances."**

Hunk frowned at Keith in concern. "Bro, chill."

**The castle doors opened and startled the Arusian, and it jumped into a bush with a squeak. The team approached and Allura bent down to look at him through the bush. "Greetings. We know you're there." She said kindly. "No harm will come to you."**

**The Arusian jumped out with a battle cry, pointing its tiny sword at Allura. "Aw!" Hunk squeaked out.**

Shiro laughed. "Why did no one even care?"

**Keith stood protectively in front of Allura. "Wait! He could be dangerous. Drop your weapon!" Keith threatened the Arusian.**

Allura smiled sweetly. "I appreciate the gesture."

**The Arusian pointed his weapon at Keith. "No one takes Klaizap's weapon!"**

Lance snapped his finger. "Klaizap, that's right!"

**Allura stepped forward. "Keith, put that away! Please, kind sir, accept my most humble apologies." She spoke sincerely, and Keith put away his bayard. Klaizap blinked and then stated, "I am Klaizap, bravest of our warriors. Our village is over Gazrel hill. I come seeking answers as to why the Lion Goddess is angered with her followers."**

"I totally forgot you were this Lion Goddess lady!" Coran blurted.

**"Followers?"**

**"Lion goddess?"**

"Honestly, I wish we could have stayed with the Arusians. They seemed like good people." Keith murmured wistfully. Lance looked at him strangely. "Are you saying that just because you like living in sheds?"

**Klaizap pointed to a carved rock with a picture of the Lion Goddess and the Arusians bowing to her. "The one the ancients spoke of." He explained.**

**Allura smiled softly. "What makes you think she's angered?"**

"What's creepy about this is you were talking about yourself." Hunk said.

**Klaizap leaned forward. "Destruction is everywhere. In the past few suns, fire has rained from the heavens and a giant has danced in the sky." Klaizap explained while making gestures.**

**Hunk turned to whisper to Lance, "I think he's talking about Voltron."\**

**"Yeah, I got that."**

Pidge snorted. "Duh."

**Allura smiled again. "You have not angered the Lion Goddess."**

**Klaizap frowned. "How can you be certain?"**

Keith looked away from the screen and whispered silently. "Aw..."

**Allura clamped her hands together. "Because I am Allura and this is my castle."**

**Klaizap gasped and bowed. "Lion Goddess..."**

Shiro frowned uncertainly. "He just accepts that? With no real proof?"

**Allura continued, "Please, bravest warrior, take us to your village so that we may meet our neighbors."**

**Keith turned to Allura. "What about our mission to get off this planet and fight Zarkon?"**

Lance yawned. "You are such a downer, Keith."

**Allura replied, "Part of the paladins' mission is to spread peace and diplomacy. Arus has been our host for 10,000 years. These people deserve our thanks."**

Hunk waved his hand. "Hey, weird voice guy! Pause this!"

The video paused.

"Cool, thanks. Is no one going to get something to eat from the snack shack over there?" Hunk asked the team. They shrugged. "It's probably stale or something." Pidge brushed him off.

Hunk gaped at her. "That won't stop me from spreading the love and joy of food to my friends!" He then jumped over the table of the snack shake and dug around for some food and drinks.

"Lance, you get a Sprite and some doritos." Hunk chucked the two items at Lance.

"Keith, you can have...oreos I guess, and some pepsi."

"Pidge, take my all time favorite...cheezits, and some apple juice." Pidge deflated instantly. "Great."

"Shiro, you can have some chips ahoy cookies and a dr. pepper."

"Allura, Coran, since you don't know Earth food, I'm giving you a ton to try. Pretzels, lays, doritos, goldfish, oreos, a ton of sodas." He threw them all at the unsuspecting aliens, and then took a large armful of food with him as well. He sat down. "Unpause."

**The scene changed to Pidge and Shiro handing out warm drinks and blankets to the aliens.**

Coran was loudly wrestling with a bag of goldfish, trying to rip the bag open.

**"So, how long were you held captive by Zarkon?" Pidge asked one alien. The alien stared down at the cup. "Some for years. Decades, maybe. It's hard to tell. Time becomes a blur." They took a sip.**

**Pidge's eyes widened. "So you must have been there when my dad and brother arrived! Sam and Matt Holt?" She asked desperately.**

Shiro wrapped an arm around Pidge comfortingly.

**"I never knew their names, but I certainly remember the other two Earthlings that arrived with Champion." The alien responded, turning to look at Shiro.**

**Shiro narrowed his eyes. "Champion. Why do you keep calling me that?"**

Keith nodded. "I was wondering that too."

**"You really don't remember? Unbelievable! You were a legendary Gladiator, undefeated in the ring. You defeated an infamous Galra gladiator known as Myzax. That was the day you earned the name Champion. I was there, as was the young Earthling." The alien glanced down.**

Allura leaned her hand on her hand. "Very interesting."

**The scene changed to the past, while the alien spoke in the background. "We were all prisoners, forced to fight for the entertainment of Zarkon." There was large crowds of Galra and other aliens cheering. Then a line of people waiting to go to the ring. "That day, we were set to fight Myzax, a vile beast many thought could never be defeated."**

**Myzax was very large, with sharp teeth and a large ball of purple energy attached to the torch it held in one hand.**

Coran gasped. "Myzax was thought to be a child tale."

**"Slaughter waited us all. This Matt was the first of us to be sent to fight. But fate had other plans." A galra soldier opened the cage door, and gestured for Matt to come out. Shiro raced at the soldier, took his weapon and hit Matt in the knee.**

Allura's eyes widened, but she soon realized the reason and smiled.

**"You were so thirsty for blood, that you injured your fellow Earthling."**

**Pidge glared at Shiro hatefully. "You attacked my brother? Why?!"**

Pidge looked guilty. "Sorry, Shiro. I didn't think about it hard enough..."

Shiro patted her shoulder and pulled away from the side hug they were in.

**Shiro's eyes widened. "No. It can't be true."**

**The alien looked up at him. "I was there. We all were."**

Keith frowned. "That sounds like throwing someone under the bus, huh?"

**Pidge stepped forward. "After my brother was injured, where was he taken?" She asked.**

**"I know not."**

Lance groaned. "They never do."

**"I don't believe it. There's got to be more to the story!" Shiro exclaimed, horrified. "I-I couldn't have hurt my friend. Wait, that ship we were held captive on crash landed on this planet. They'll have logs of prisoners, some information." Shiro walked out of the room.**

**Pidge ran after him. "I'm coming with you!"  
** Hunk stuffed an oreo into his mouth. "Glad to know you two were reenacting a dramatic play while we had fun with the Arusians."

**The Red, Blue, and Yellow lions were parked on a cliffside above the Arusian village. Festive music played in the village as the Arusians met all the paladins, and Allura and Coran.**

Pidge glared. "Glad to know you two had fun while I worried about my family."

 **The leader of the village stepped forward. "Oh, Lion Goddess, I, King of the Arusians, formally beg for your forgiveness. Please have mercy on us and accept our traditional Dance of Apology as atonement for our wrongdoings." The King then stepped back to let a dancer come forward.**   **"Commence Dance of Apology."**

"Wow. Just wow." Pidge giggled.

**Some Arusians began playing music while one danced. Spinning and making hand gestures. Allura put her hand up. "Please, there's no need for this."**

**"Kontow, halt!" The King shouted, and the dancer stopped immediately. "The Goddess has refused the apology. Start the sacrificial fire!"**

Shiro gasped. "Sacrificial fire?"

**An Arusian threw a torch onto a pile of wood. "We must throw ourselves in!" The King said.**

**Allura gasped, and shook her head wildly. "No! No sacrifices!"**

"Oh my god. Okay, so maybe don't stay with the Arusians." Pidge said to Keith worriedly. He nodded quickly.

**The King turned around. "So we may proceed with the dance?"**

**Allura nodded. "That's a better alternative."**

"Much better." Coran confirmed.

**The dancer continued the dance, and bowed at the end, all the other Arusians following suit. "Oh, my!" Allura exclaimed. "Please, please, rise. Thank you for that, but I am not a great being worthy of your worship."**

**The Arusians stood up, confused.**

"What? Of course you are. You're worthy of all my worship, Princess." Lance flirted, winking at her. Allura sighed.

**"I accidentally put you all in danger. It is I who should be apologizing to you. I am Princess Allura, and these are the Voltron paladins." Allura gestured to Hunk, Keith, and Lance. "Although we originally came from different worlds...and have very, very, very different traditions...we wish to live alongside you as friends." Allura finished her speech.**

Shiro smiled. "I guess I was wrong. You are good at giving speeches." He kissed Allura's forehead.

**The King pointed to the sky. "But the mighty robotic angel...has it not come to destroy us because of our immoral ways?"**

**Allura frowned. "Voltron? No. In fact, that mighty robot is here to protect you. Let it be known that Voltron will protect every innocent being throughout the universe!" Allura said, and bent down to hug all the cheering Arusians.**

Allura smirked. "Yeah, I think I'm pretty great too."

**Arusians clung to Hunk, Lance, Coran, and Allura. Keith walked away, seeming uneasy. An Arusian jumped on him from the side, startling Keith.**

"AW!" The team teased Keith.

**"Uh, well I don't usually hug strangers, but-uh, man, you are cuddly." Keith raised a hand to put on the Arusian's back. "Thank you." The Arusian said in a deep voice. Keith's eyes went very wide and then the scene changed.**

Lance choked on his laughter. "O-Oh my god!"

**Shiro and Pidge had parked their lions next to the crashed ship. Shiro and Pidge flew in using jetpacks.**

Hunk nodded. "Oh yeah. I forgot about this little side mission you guys were on."

**The two slid down and stood in front of the controls. "This looks like the master control board, but there's no power." Pidge said, looking around. "All you need is power?" Shiro asked.**

**Pidge nodded. "Yeah. But one that's compatible with Galra tech." She replied.**

"And I bet you use your hand." Lance said, sipping on his soda.

**Shiro's hand lit up, and he placed it on the control board. The controls lit up immediately and Pidge gasped. "I can't believe you got this to work."**

"Called it." Lance smirked.

**Pidge began typing on a keypad. "My dad's and Matt's whereabouts must be logged in here somewhere. Once I download this information, I'll find some way to decode it back at the castle."**

**She started downloading the strange letters and symbols.**

Hunk poked Keith. "Hey, Galra Keith, can you read that?" He asked curiously. Keith sighed. "No, Hunk. No, I cannot."

**There was a strange rumbling sound in the distance and Shiro turned to see a giant Galra ship heading towards them. He gasped. "Oh no."**

**"What is it?" Pidge asked, though she didn't look up. "Something just entered the atmosphere. I'm not exactly sure what it is but it's big, it's Galra, and it's coming right at it. We've gotta go."**

Coran nodded. "That does seem to be the best course of action, Shiro the Hero."

**Shiro began to lift his hand but Pidge slammed it down. "Shiro, don't move! I'm only 15% done, I'm not going anywhere." She demanded.**

Keith glared at her. "Idiot."

**The ship continued getting closer, and Pidge was about halfway done when Shiro grabbed her and jetpacked out of the wreckage. "Pidge, I'm sorry!" He growled. She struggled to escape his grip. "No!"**

"Um, yes? Have you never thought about how ship crashes work? Or the Galra?" Hunk teased her, though sounding concerned.

**Shiro called Voltron. "Team, come in. We need backup!"**

**The scene changed to Allura and Keith with the Arusians. "Shiro?" Allura asked.**

Lance sighed and then lightly chuckled. "This whole thing was insane."

**"Where is everyone?" Shiro demanded.**

**"What's going on?" Keith asked worriedly.**

"Oh nothing, just a death ship flying at us all." Pidge teased with a giggle.

**The ground began to shake as the ship came closer. The Arusians cried out in fear. "Oh no. We've got to get to our lions!" Keith called. The Arusians began running and Allura shouted, "Everyone, get inside and stay down!"**

Lance began to feel jealousy burning in his stomach, for no apparent reason at all and not for Allura. He felt jealous that _Keith_ was paying attention to _Allura._ He'd always thought Keith and him were an excellent team, but maybe Allura and Keith were good partners in crime stopping too.

**Hunk began running away with the Arusians. Keith pulled Hunk away from safety. "Not you." He growled in frustration.**

The team laughed.

**The scene changed back to Pidge and Shiro. "No! Shiro, let me go! My father!" Pidge cried as they landed on the ground, attempting to pull away from him. Shiro looked up and saw the ship far too close, about to hit the ground. "Run!" He shouted, pulling Pidge away.**

Pidge looked guilty. "Sorry, Shiro..."

**The ship crashed right where Pidge and Shiro had been moments ago. Pidge and Shiro were flying away from the explosion with their jetpacks, but the heat almost caught up to them before their lions saved them, wrapping around them.**

"Man, the lions are the real heroes here." Shiro commented with a fond smile.

**Once the explosion and dust had cleared a bit, the lions pulled away from Shiro and Pidge, revealing them to be huddled together in the middle. They pulled apart.**

"Awww. Space dad." Lance teased.

**"Our lions just saved us." Shiro whispered. Pidge nodded. "I didn't know they could do that." She added.**

Keith nodded. "Red saved me more times than I can count."

**"Um. Shiro?" Pidge asked worriedly, pointing at something. Shiro turned around. The Galra ship that had crashed was opening. Inside was the robot Haggar had sent. It's eyes locked onto Shiro and Pidge. "Get in your lion." Shiro told Pidge, and they both ran to their lions.**

"Yeah, that's probably a smart choice for the moment." Allura said, sounding concerned.

**The robot began to spawn energy in it's torch hand. It shot directly for Pidge and Shiro, who both dodged and flew in separate directions. Pidge shot at the energy blast, but the blast was too strong and hit Pidge anyway. Pidge fell from the sky, hitting a mountain. She groaned.**

Keith winced. He'd never admit it, but he saw Pidge as a little sister in a way.

**Pidge looked up in fear to see the robot running toward her. Shiro jumped onto the robot and bit into its shoulder, not letting go. The robot eventually had to rip Shiro off and throw him and his lion to the ground. Keith flew in from the side and began shooting the robot. "Lay down some covering fire so they can get out of here!"**

Pidge smiled. "You always were kind of a leader, huh? Even before the Black Lion chose you."

**"I'm on it." Lance replied, shooting a tail blast at the robot. Hunk came sprinting in with his lion. "Check this out! Battle-lion-headbutt!" He shouted before running his lion headfirst into the back of the robot and knocking it down.**

"Sounds like a concussion on the way." Allura commented.

**"You guys okay down there?" Keith asked Pidge and Shiro.**

**"Still alive for now." Shiro confirmed.**

"Aw. Thanks for caring, Keith." Pidge said truthfully. Keith blushed and whispered, "Shut up."

**All the lions flew up to fly beside each other. "Are the Galra behind this?" Hunk asked worriedly. Shiro nodded. "I think so. But I've never seen anything like it."**

**"So, what's the plan? Shoot at it with everything we've got? Take out its weapon? Call it names?" Lance asked with a frown.**

"Good idea, Lance. Let's call it names." Coran exclaimed, not getting the joke.

**"If we want to take this monster down, there's only one way to do it." Shiro replied. The Black Lion roared and each lion lit up with its respective color. They formed Voltron.**

"That sequence takes way too long." Allura commented. (me)

**Voltron flew forward, narrowly missing a hit. Keith shouted and pushed the arm forward to punch the robot. Pidge joined in, punching the robot as well. The robot stumbled backward.**

"You'd think it to be easier to destroy a robot." Coran muttered, pulling on his mustache. "That is interesting."

**The team shouted as Voltron flew at the robot again. Keith and Pidge pulled the arms to hit the robot, but the robot blocked and held them off. A blast of energy from the robot came up behind them and knocked them to the ground. Another blast came straight for them and the team was nearly hit. "I thought Voltron was the most powerful weapon in the universe!" Keith exclaimed, voice rough from strain.**

"That could change at any given moment, honestly." Pidge admitted.

**"Yeah! So how is this monster kicking our butts?" Hunk complained, and Voltron moved back to avoid getting hit again. While the team was distracted, the robot came up and body slammed Voltron. Shiro looked up to see the Arusian village getting closer. "Oh no, the village! We've got to protect those people."**

"Thank you, Shiro. That was very kind of you." Allura whispered.

**The scene changed to Allura and Coran standing in front of the Arusians, while they were all huddled into a small hut. Allura was attempting to comfort them while the sounds of heavy footsteps got closer.**

"Oof." Lance tried to joke.

**A large blast of energy knocked Voltron back again and almost knocked them into the village. Shiro blasted off the ground before it could happen. "That was close." He commented. Voltron flew away from the village, and the robot followed. "We got him away from the Arusians, but we can't take him down!" Pidge told them.**

"How did you know about the Arusians if you didn't meet them like we did? Did you stay up and late and study again? You know that's not a good idea." Shiro scolded Pidge lightly. She rolled her eyes.

**"I've got it!" Lance interrupted. "I'm going to power kick that orb thing!"**

The team groaned. "What? It was a good idea!" He said.

**"No! The last time you did a kick, we fell!" Keith growled. Lance sighed and said, "Stop living in the past!". Voltron began flying at the robot. When the robot threw an energy blast, Lance put Voltron into a position to kick, and missed the blast entirely. "Uh oh."**

"Oh my goodness." Allura sighed.

**The blast hit the head of Voltron, meaning Shiro. Voltron fell to the ground. "Pidge, fire lasers now!" Shiro commanded. "Got it. Fire!" She cried, but formed a shield instead of lasers. "Oops!"**

Coran was trying to comfort Allura as she banged her head into the back of the chair. "Allura, they're less annoying now. Remember?"

**"No! Lasers, lasers!" Shiro urged as Pidge desperately typed in codes. Voltron was hit and fell again. "Every time we focus on the orb, we're blindsided by the monster, and every time we focus on the monster, the orb hits us!" Hunk interjected.**

"Positive thoughts go a long way." Shiro said in a sing-song tone.

**"Then what do we do?" Lance asked.**

**"Orb!"**

**Keith lifted the arm of Voltron to block, but Voltron fell down anyway. "Shiro, we've got to move! Shiro, are you there? Shiro!" Keith called. There was a flashback to Shiro fighting a monster in the arena as a Galra prisoner.**

Allura gasped, leaning forward with new energy.

**"That sound...I recognize that monster from my time in Zarkon's prison! I know how to beat him!" Shiro said, glaring at the robot as it ran at them. Voltron dodged a blast and Shiro said, "Listen, there's a loud sound when the orb returns to the base of the weapon, and every third time, that orb needs to charge up! That's this monster's weakest point. That's when we strike."**

Allura smiled and hugged Shiro. "Excellent, Shiro!" She gasped out.

**"Okay, so what do we do in the meantime?" Hunk asked.**

**"Defense." Shiro growled.**

"If only that plan had worked like we'd hoped." Shiro murmured.

**"Pidge, we need that shield!" Shiro said. Pidge lifted the shield and blocked the blow. "That's one. Two more to go." Shiro said. There was a small flash to Shiro hiding behind a pillar while fighting the monster.**

**Voltron lifted the shield again, blocking another blow. Voltron nearly fell over and everyone groaned in pain. "We can't take much more!" Hunk groaned.**

Allura and Coran were leaning forward anxiously, waiting to see what would happen. The others were a bit more relaxed, though seeming happy to relive it all.

**"Third one! Everyone brace for impact!" Shiro called. The third blast hit the shield and broke it in half, the pieces flying off to the sides.**

Allura flinched. "My goodness."

**"Now!" Shiro shouted. Keith shot the robot with a huge blast, and knocked it down. It got back up seconds later with another orb. "It didn't work!" Hunk cried. "So, now what?" Lance snapped.**

Allura gasped. "Why didn't it work?"

**"When I attacked him last time, I had a sword." Shiro murmured after having another flashback. "Orb, orb!" Hunk cried. Voltron was hit again. "We can't take another shot like that!" Pidge said.**

Coran was running his hands anxiously across his mustache. "This is all too stressful for me."

**Keith's lion lit up in red. "Hold on guys, I think my lion is telling me what to do." Keith interjected. "Well, whatever it is, hurry up and do it! He's about to fire his third shot!" Lance exclaimed, fear written all over his face.**

Hunk was stress eating. "I hated that so much."

**The robot hit them with another blast. Voltron rolled across the ground and suspenseful music began playing.**

"Music...?" Allura asked in confusion. Everyone shrugged.

**Keith shouted in rage as he pushed his bayard into the slot the lion had opened. Keith's lion formed a sword and sliced right through the robot. It exploded.**

Allura raced over and hugged Keith. "Oh my! Keith, you are such a wonderful paladin! I'm sorry I ever doubted you for a second!"

Lance glared in jealousy. He wished he could hug Keith like that. Keith frowned. "Wait, you doubted me?"

**The team cheered. Keith just looked confused.**

Allura shrugged it off, pulling away to sit down. "Don't fret about it too much."

**"How did you do that?!" Hunk exclaimed, smiling wide. Keith pulled out his bayard and smiled. "Wow. Thanks, Red." He chuckled.**

**The scene changed to Haggar, sensing her failure. "No!" She screamed. "I'll make a better one. More powerful."**

Pidge snorted. "You can try."

**Zarkon shook his head. "That won't be necessary. Sendak is still alive on Arus. I've given him instructions for how to proceed." He told her.**

**"Can he be trusted?" Haggar asked.**

Hunk frowned. "This whole relationship between these two is weird."

**Zarkon's eyes narrowed. "I trained him and he has his mission. He fights in the name of Galra. Only success or death will stop him." He replied.**

Lance frowned. "Success or death? Isn't that a Blade of Marmora thing?" He asked. Keith shook his head. "That's knowledge or death. Not success or death."

**The scene changed to Sendak and a few other Galra on Arus. "Zarkon has challenged us to rise from the mud and prove our worth. We will not let him down." Sendak growled.**

**A Galra approached Sendak. "Sir, how are we going to take the castle with just the two of us and five damaged sentries?"**

Pidge yawned. "You didn't, that's how."

**"By exploiting our enemy's weaknesses." Sendak replied.**

**"What weaknesses?"**

**"The worst weakness of all: They value the lives of others."**

Allura gasped. "Sendak is so-so awful!"

**The scene changed to Voltron and the aliens they rescued from Zarkon. The aliens were boarding a ship. "Good luck out there." Lance said as he waved.**

**"Thank you all for everything. We never dreamed we'd see our families again. But you gave us hope. You gave the universe hope."**

"Aw, thanks alien guy." Lance said with a smile.

**The scene changed again to Pidge on a bridge attached to the castle, with the mice in her lap. She was sitting on the ground. Shiro walked up to her. "Pidge, there you are." He greeted her.**

Keith fought the urge to roll his eyes. Oh great, another brother-sister scene between those two?

**She sighed. "Why would you hurt my brother? You were friends..." She trailed off, looking away. "I did it to save him." Shiro told her. "What?" She asked, confused. Shiro sat down beside her.**

"How is hurting somebody, saving them?" Coran asked, trying to finger count his way to victory.

**"My memory of the event came back when we were fighting the monster. Your dad was being sent off with the weaker prisoners to a work camp." Shiro explained, and the scene changed to the arena, but Shiro kept talking.**

Hunk groaned. "Another flashback scene?" (me)

**"Meanwhile, Matt and I were forced to fight in the Gladiator arena." There was a flash of the monster.**

"Honestly, the robot version was cooler." Keith shrugged.

**"Matt was going to fight first. But he was scared. We all were." Shiro explained. There was a picture of Matt, shaking in line.**

Pidge leaned forward protectively.

**"I'm not going to make it! I'll never see my family again!" Matt cried. Shiro leaned toward him. "You can do this." He told him. Matt gasped in horror as the Galra guard tried to pull him into the arena.**

"Matt..." Shiro whispered softly, as if the memory was painful.

**Shiro's eyes narrowed and he ran at the guard, pulling the weapon away. "This is my fight!" He growled, pushing Matt back. He then sliced his leg. "I want blood!"**

**He pushed Matt to the ground. "Take care of your father..." He whispered softly as he was pulled into the arena.**

Allura smiled. "You're the embodiment of a hero, Shiro."

**The scene changed back to the present. Pidge's eyes filled with tears. "You saved him. You attacked him so they would choose you instead." She bit her lip hard and then hugged him tightly. "I'm so sorry I doubted you! Thank you! Thank you so much!" She cried.**

Keith couldn't help but smile. Pidge deserved a good brother figure like Shiro, even if it made Keith a little jealous sometimes.

**Shiro hugged her back. "I can tell you really miss them. I know they miss you, too." He comforted her. "Your brother and father would be proud of you, Katie."**

The team gasped.

**Pidge's eyes widened and she looked up at him. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me." He told her. Pidge pulled away and wiped her eyes. The episode ended.**

"So, Katie is your real name, then? You never actually told us the real name, just the real gender." Lance said. Pidge nodded, embarrassed.

 

"Next up, get ready for: Fall of the Castle of Lions!" The disembodied voice interrupted.

 


	8. Fall of the Castle of Lions

**The episode began inside the castle, with the Arusians and Voltron on the first floor. The Arusians had stacked on each other, forming the robot from last episode and Voltron. "The beast fell from the sky! It was a long battle, but Voltron was victorious!" The King declared.**

"Hell yeah we were." Lance scoffed.

**The wrong Arusians fell down. The King frowned. "No, I said, Voltron was victorious!"**

**The Arusians quickly corrected their error and ended the skit right.**

Allura clapped. "It was such a fun night before it all went wrong."

**Allura stepped toward the King. "Thank you, your majesty, for that...wonderful production. It saddens me that we must leave tomorrow, but we must continue our battle with Zarkon and spread peace throughout the universe." Allura announced, before turning back to the King. "Your Highness...please accept this gift." She handed him a small communicator.**

No one said anything, waiting.

**The King took it gently. "It will allow you to contact us anytime you need help. Arus will be the first planet in the Voltron Alliance." She told him. The King held up the gift and shouted, "Hoorah!"**

**The Arusians raised their cups and cheered, and festive music started playing.**

Pidge smiled. "This makes me want to get up and dance."

**The scene changed to Keith and Lance, who had been standing next to each other during Allura's speech.**

Hunk smirked. "Wow, I wonder why Keith and Lance were beside each other when everyone else was scattered around the room..."

Lance blushed a deep red, and Keith just shrugged.

**Hunk walked over to the two. "We ought to get something like that."**

Allura frowned. "Hm?"

**"Like what?" Lance asked, frowning.**

**"Like, you know, a cheer. Like, a team cheer that we do!"**

Coran grinned. "Oh, that would be very funny to see!"

**Lance nodded, smirking. He hummed in approval. "Hm, yeah, okay. How about, uh..." He leaned toward Keith and Hunk. "I say Vol, and you say Tron, Vol-" He waited for the others to fulfill the cheer.**

Keith groaned. "That thing is dumb! I don't get it."

**Keith looked confused. "Uh...Voltron?" He questioned.**

**Lance frowned. "What? No, no, no. The cheer includes the instructions. I say Vol, and you say-"**

Allura nodded, confused. "I agree with Keith, that is too difficult to understand."

**Keith shrugged, eyebrows raised. "Vol...tron?"**

Pidge laughed. "Keith was so isolated that he doesn't know basic cheers!"

**Lance leaned back, disappointed. "We'll work on it." He grumbled. He took a sip of the drink in his hand and immediately began flailing violently. "Coran, what is this?!" He demanded.**

"Nunvill, right?" Shiro asked Allura. The princess nodded.

**"Oh, this is Nunvill, the nectar of the gods." Coran replied. Lance put his hand over his mouth and said, "It tastes like hot dog water and feet."**

Allura sighed. "What is a hot dog?"

Hunk screamed.

**Coran smiled. "Yeah! Makes a wonderful hair tonic as well!" He replied as he dipped his fingers in the nectar and splashed it on his mustache, which immediately puffed up.**

Keith winced. "Gross."

**Lance gagged. Coran walked over to Shiro with a cup of juice. In the background, Keith and Lance began staring worriedly at Lance. Keith poked him gently and Lance crashed to the ground.**

The team laughed.

**Coran lifted a cup of nunville up to Shiro. "Not feeling well? Try some Nunvill. Settles the stomach and brightens your smile." Coran offered.**

Hunk groaned. "Why is Coran constantly trying to poison us with weird alien cuisine?"

**Shiro's frown deepened. "I'm not sure we should be letting everyone wander in and out of the castle like this. It doesn't seem safe." Shiro admitted.**

Allura smiled fondly. "Constantly worrying, yet usually right."

**Coran looked at the open castle doors. "Oh, these Arusians won't hurt anything! Much." Coran told Shiro. Two Arusians flew by holding onto a floating tray. There was a sound of shattering glass seconds later.**

The team laughed and Allura winced.

**Shiro didn't look convinced so Coran added, "Besides, it's only fair to let them see the inside of the castle that's been sitting on their planet for so long."**

Pidge nodded. "He's not wrong, I guess."

**Shiro said, "But who knows when Zarkon will attack again? I'm going to do a perimeter check, just in case." Shiro then walked out of the castle doors.**

Allura smiled sadly.

**The scene changed to Sendak and Haxus. "Commander Sendak, the sentries are in position around the Arusian village." Haxus reported. Sendak smiled. "Luck is on our side. Look, the castle defenses are down. The door is wide open. With all these Arusians coming in and out, it should be nothing for you to infiltrate." Sendak replied.**

Coran sighed. "My apologies, Shiro. We should have listened to you."

**"I may not have to. Look." Haxus pointed out. While looking through his space binoculars, he spotted Pidge and Rover. He zoomed the view in on Rover. "The small one has a Galra drone that they've repurposed. If I can just get close enough to clone its signature code, I can send our bomb drone in undetected." Haxus smirked.**

Lance groaned. "Yep, I got the worst of that."

**Sendak turned to him and said, "I knew you would not disappoint me, Haxus."**

**Haxus scurried away.**

The team began to look uncomfortable. "Knowing where all this is going, is kind of creeping me out." Keith admitted.

"Me too." Pidge agreed, wrapping her arms around herself.

**The scene changed to Allura and the mice, looking over the railing to see the paladins. "Look at them, the new paladins of Voltron. The fate of the universe is on their shoulders." Allura said. Keith took a sip of the Nunvill and immediately spit it out all over Hunk's face.**

The team laughed, feeling a little lighter.

**"Ah! My eyes!" Hunk screamed, turning around with lollipops stuck to his eyes as a joke. Hunk, Keith and the other Arusians burst out laughing.**

Pidge facepalmed. "Oh my god."

**Allura narrowed her eyes. "I must portray strength, so no one can tell how concerned I am about the fate of our mission." Allura told the mice. The mice began squeaking. Allura's eyes widened. "Let's keep that a secret." She added.**

Lance stood up and looked around at the other team members. "Petition to make Allura dress up as Snow White?"

The rest of the team began voicing their agreement, and Shiro turned to Allura. "I would not be opposed."

**The mice squeaked again. "Who else has secrets?" Allura asked, confused. The mice ran down to sit on the railing. The gray mouse pushed the cheeks up on the yellow mouse. Allura giggled. "Hunk tried to eat what?"**

Hunk sighed. "I knew it. I knew they would tell someone."

**"That is rather amusing. What other secrets?" Allura asked them, leaning forward to rest her elbows on the bannister. The blue mouse climbed onto the head of the gray mouse, ruffled up its hair, and began twirling it's tail with a smirk.**

"Lance did something." The team said in unison. Lance gasped. "What? No! That's got to be Shiro that did something."

**Allura frowned, looking irritated. "That does seem like Lance."**

"We called it." Hunk said, crossing his arms with a smug grin.

**The blue mouse clasped its paws together and blushed, blinking. Allura moved back quickly. "Pidge is a _what_?!"**

Shiro smiled. "Yeah, I knew they were there for that conversation."

**Allura leaned forward to stare at Pidge suspiciously. Pidge opened her bag and pushed a platter of Arusian popsicles into it. An Arusian walked by holding a plastic stick, and Pidge took it, shoved it in her ear and then smelled it, recoiling.**

Pidge blushed in embarrassment. "I'm not normally like that, I swear!"

**Allura looked suspicious. "Are you sure?" She asked the mice.**

"Hey!" Pidge complained.

**The blue mouse nodded. "I'm getting to the bottom of this." Allura grumbled. The scene changed to Lance staring sadly into the Nunvill, and Hunk standing across from him. "I guess we should get used to this space juice. Who knows when we'll get back home again?" Lance sighed.  
**

"That is not a very positive attitude, Lance." Shiro scolded. Lance rolled his eyes.

**Hunk frowned, shaking his cup. "Yeah, if ever."**

The team gasped, and Hunk looked away.

**"What do you mean?" Lance asked. Hunk replied, "I mean, if this Zarkon guy has been ruling for 10,000 years, how long do you think it will take for us to fix it? You know, if we live." Hunk grabbed another space popsicle.**

"Wow, Hunk..." Pidge trailed off.

**Lance looked down at his feet. "Right. That."**

"We had to know it was a possibility anyway, though, guys. He was just being realistic. None of us thought it would only take about 2 years to end Zarkon, and we're still fighting the Galra now. But we reunited with our families. It's okay." Keith tried to calm everyone down. The team looked shocked.

**Hunk added, "Hey, what do you think the chances are of us landing on a nacho planet?"**

"And mood ruined." Pidge sighed.

**Lance smiled softly. "Well, there's only one planet with Veradero beach, pizza shack overlooking the water, garlic knots, my mom's hugs..." Lance's face dropped and he started sniffling.**

Keith put his hand on Lance's shoulder. Lance gasped, blushing. Keith smiled reassuringly and pulled his arm away, turning back to the screen.

**Lance looked down quickly. "I'm sorry. I think the Nunvill is getting to me. I gotta go." He walked away from a very confused Hunk, and went up the stairs.**

Allura looked sad. "I did not mean to pull you all away from your families. I guess I didn't think..."

**The scene changed to Allura and Pidge. "So, Pidge, we haven't had a chance to really talk." Allura began. "Tell me about yourself."**

"Pidge is stubborn, she'd never tell you unless it was on her own accords." Hunk said matter-of-factly.

**Pidge hummed to herself and then smiled. She said, "Well, I like peanut butter, and I like peanut butter cookies, but I hate peanuts. They're so dry. Also, I sweat a lot. I mean, in general, unrelated to the peanuts."**

 

**“Like what?” Pidge asked, confused. Allura’s eyes widened. “Well, both of us had our fathers taken away by Zarkon.” Allura replied, leaning away.**

"I suppose that's true." Coran muttered, tilting his head.

**"Yeah, but I'm going to get mine back." Pidge retorted.**

The team gasped. "Oh my god, Pidge!" Shiro shouted. Pidge looked away guiltily. "I'm so sorry, Allura."

The Princess shook her head and smiled half-heartedly. "It's alright, Pidge."

**Allura gasped, leaning away in shock. Pidge's eyes widened when she realized what she said. "I'm sorry-I really didn't mean to-" Pidge began.**

"You should be sorry." Keith growled. Lance didn't try to defend her this time.

**"No, I understand." Allura interrupted. "I just want you to know that you can confide in me."**

No one said anything. Pidge felt tears burning in her eyes. She knew how horrible it was, that she had said that to Allura. Keith had lost his father too, not to Zarkon, but still. She had majorly insulted two of her teammates.

**"If there's anything you _ever_ want to talk about..." Allura leaned forward again, smirking. "Anything."**

Hunk smiled reassuringly at Pidge. He could never be mad at her.

**Pidge frowned. "Okay. I do have something to tell you." Pidge admitted.**

"Hm?" Coran asked, waiting excitedly.

**Allura put clasped her hands together and grinned. "I had a feeling! What is it?"**

"I'd kind of like to know that as well." Shiro murmured.

**Pidge looked away. "I'm leaving Team Voltron."**

The team gasped, remembering.

**Allura inhaled sharply with a smile, and then her face dropped. "Wait, what?"**

Keith began to look uncomfortable.

**"I decrypted the information from the Galra ship about where my family might be, or at least where they were. I've made up my mind. I'm leaving tonight."**

Shiro groaned.

**Allura looked heartbroken. "Pidge, you can't! You're one of the five paladins." Allura put her hands on Pidge's shoulders. "You have a sacred trust to defend the universe."**

**Pidge pulled away with a glare. "My first priority is to find my family! I thought you of all people would understand."**

Pidge looked at Keith, eyes wide, waiting to see if he would have a reaction to that statement. He didn't.

**"If you had a chance to get your father back, wouldn't you?" Pidge snapped.**

Keith flinched this time, and Lance looked at him in concern.

**Allura flinched. Pidge looked down and whispered. "I'm sorry. I should go tell everyone else." Pidge then turned and walked away from Allura.**

No one said anything, feeling the weight of everything pouring down on them. This episode had enforced how much the universe relied on them, and how much their _team_ relied on them, as well as bringing up memories of dead family members. Could it get any worse?

**The scene changed to Shiro, who was standing guard outside. "Shiro?" Pidge called, and he turned around. "I need to talk to you."**

**Behind a rock near the castle, was Haxus. Haxus pointed a device at Rover and whispered, "Signature code cloned." He pulled away and pointed the device at another drone that looked like Rover. The drone turned a green color, like Rover. "Bomb activated." Haxus added, and the drone flew for the castle.**

Pidge groaned, pressing her hands against her closed eyes. "So many bad decisions were made by me that night, I don't even know why."

**The scene changed back to Lance, who was resting his head on his hand. "Mind if I join you?" Coran asked, moving to stand beside him. Lance was sitting on a staircase, in the main command room. "How far away from Earth do you think we are, Coran?" Lance asked sadly.**

"Coran and Lance bonding moment?" Hunk asked, extremely confused.

**"Let's take a look." Coran replied, walking away and placed his hand on a command pad. The room lit up with little blue markings, marking planets. "Earth is over here." Coran pointed. He began swiping furiously at the projection, moving it. "And we're _allllllllllllllll_ -the way _overrrrrr..._ " **

"That's great, Coran, thanks." Shiro said sarcastically, but not rudely. Coran smiled.

**Lance's eyes widened as Coran continued swiping. "You ever notice how far the planets are from each other, Coran?"**

**Coran continued swiping and nodded. "Yes. Haven't you been paying attention?"**

"I doubt that's what he meant." Keith said.

**Lance walked over to stand beside Coran. "Yeah, but I mean, like, they're really, really far away." Lance murmured. "Like, say, Earth. It's so far, I can't even see it." The view zoomed in on the galaxy projection.**

No one dared say anything.

**Lance looked down sadly. "The-The blue oceans, the white clouds, the green grass...I-I can't see any of it."**

Allura's eyes teared up.

**Coran looked at Lance with a sorrowful expression. "You miss Earth. I understand. I miss Altea."**

Allura smiled at Coran through her tears and Coran hugged her gently.

**"I know we're supposed to be brave paladins and Defenders of the Universe or whatever, but honestly, I just want to go home." Lance admitted.**

"Me too, Lance." Keith whispered softly, and Lance had to resist the urge to kiss him right then and there.

**Coran's eyes softened. "If I could go home, I would." He agreed.**

**"I miss rain and splashing in puddles." Lance muttered, with a small laugh at the end.**

Hunk smiled. "I remember your brothers and sisters loving the mud, too." He added, and Lance smiled sadly.

**"Rain?" Coran asked.**

**"Yeah. It's water that falls from the sky."**

**"Oh! We had that on Altea. Only, it wasn't water. More like rocks. Razor-sharp and boiling hot. Oh, they could knock a hole right in your head!"**

Coran and Allura pulled apart, and Shiro kissed the top of her head.

**"Sounds fun." Lance said sarcastically.**

**"Yeah." Coran agreed, not sensing the joke.**

"It never really rained in the desert, but if it did, I honestly wouldn't have been surprised if it _was_ rocks!" Keith said to Coran. The Altean grinned.

**The scene changed to the bomb drone, turning down hallways.**

"Ugh, makes me feel sick knowing it was in the castle and we just didn't even know." Shiro complained. Allura nodded.

**The scene changed to Pidge, Shiro, Keith, Hunk, and Allura. "Pidge, no." Shiro said, shocked.**

Pidge looked away again, not happy to relive the conversation.

**"The download from the Galra ship was enough to at least get me in the right direction to start my search." Pidge replied. "I have a pod all ready to go."**

"Sorry, guys." Pidge whispered. Keith nearly interrupted, but was instead interrupted by the old him on the screen.

**"You can't leave." Keith growled. Pidge glared. "You can't tell me what to do!" She retorted.**

Keith sighed. "I didn't want to have to say this but I'm sorry." Keith began, and was nearly interrupted by the screen again. "Hey, hey, pause, weird voice guy in the ceiling! I'm trying to have a moment here." The screen paused.

Pidge blinked in surprise. "Sorry for what? I deserved to get yelled at, I was being-"

"No. I had no right to yell at you when I did the same later on. It was dumb of me to do that, so I'm sorry Pidge." Keith interjected guiltily.

Pidge shook her head wildly. "No, Keith, there's a difference. You left because at the time we had enough paladins and you wanted to do what was right for the universe. _You_ were smart, _I_ was dumb. You joined the Blades so you could help, and I was just being selfish." She argued.

Keith blinked. "I appreciate you trying to make me feel better, Pidge, but I shouldn't have left. I knew who I was, but I still wanted more. Neither of us should have left, but at least you didn't end up doing it like I did."

Pidge hugged Keith tightly. "Just don't leave again, and all is forgiven."

The team had tears in their eyes. "Aw, this is the best and worst thing ever! I'm sobbing!" Hunk choked out. The screen unpaused.

**"If you leave, we can't form Voltron!" Keith spat. "And that means we can't defend the universe against Zarkon. You're not the only one with a family. All these Arusians have families. Everyone in the universe has families."**

Pidge and Keith pulled apart, and Keith looked mildly embarrassed, but he was smiling.

**Hunk interjected. "Yeah! I have a family. They live on Earth. I want to be with them. Is that, like, a thing that can happen?" He asked.**

"I leave for two minutes and disaster strikes." Lance teased, trying to lighten the mood as usual.

**Allura looked sadly at Hunk. "You want to leave, too?"**

**"Of course I do!" Hunk replied. "Look, Voltron is super cool, don't get me wrong, but I never signed up for a lifetime in space, fighting aliens."**

"None of us did." Pidge murmured, biting her lip.

**Keith growled under his breath, and then lunged forward to shout at Pidge. "You're putting the lives of two people over the lives of everyone else in the entire galaxy!" He shouted. Pidge backed up a few steps, shocked. Shiro grabbed Keith's arm and held him back.**

Keith turned to Pidge again. "I'm sorry, I'm just super sensitive about the topic of family. I let my temper get the best of me sometimes."

Lance bit his lip to avoid crying. All of this was too much for him at this point.

**"Keith, that's not how a team works." Shiro told him seriously. "People have to want to be a part of it. They can't be forced."**

**Keith looked away.**

Shiro sighed.

**Shiro turned back to Pidge. "If you want to leave, we won't try to stop you. But, please, just think about what you're doing." He pleaded.**

**Pidge was staring down at her feet when she replied, "I'm sorry. You're going to have to find someone else to pilot the Green Lion."**

Allura rested her head on Shiro's shoulder.

**Pidge walked away. Allura had her hands clasped together and pressed to her chest. "I can't believe it. The team is falling apart." She whispered. "How will we ever form Voltron?"**

No one said anything, trying to ignore the tension in the room.

**The scene changed back to Lance and Coran walking out of the room. The bomb drone passed them and Lance waved. "Hey, Rover."**

**Seconds later, Lance turned around to look at the drone. "Wait, where's Pidge?" He asked suspiciously. The drone began beeping loudly, turning red, and Lance gasped. "Coran, look out!" He shouted, jumping onto the man to shield him.**

**The drone exploded.**

Keith winced violently.

**Debris began falling onto the first floor, startling the Arusians. The team turned, looking at the ceiling in shock. The castle powered down.**

Lance was tapping his finger onto his knee anxiously.

**The scene changed back to Coran, who was laying on the ground. He groaned and pushed himself up, dust clouding the room. Allura and the other paladins approached, covering their mouths and coughing. "What happened?" Shiro asked urgently, helping Coran sit up.**

"Thank you, Lance. For that." Coran said to the paladin. Lance's eyes widened, and then he smiled brightly.

**Coran coughed. "I'm not sure." He replied. Hunk helped Coran to his feet and put his arm around his shoulder. The dust cleared and Allura spotted the shattered crystal. "The crystal!" She cried, rushing forward. "Lance!" She added when she spotted him on the ground.**

"Wow, thanks for caring about me second." Lance teased. Allura smiled half heartedly.

**Shiro rushed to Lance and picked him up. "Lance? Lance!" He called. Lance didn't move.**

The team didn't like seeing their teammates hurt, whether it be in the past or the present. Keith looked especially uncomfortable.

**"We have to get Lance to the infirmary!" Pidge told them. Allura shook her head helplessly. "Without the crystal, the castle has no power." She explained.**

Lance groaned. "Man, that sucked."

**Lance was covered in dust, and he was completely limp. "He doesn't look good." Shiro murmured.**

**"Lion warriors!" The King called, interrupting them. "Our village is under attack! We need help!" He begged desperately, sweating.**

Allura sighed. "That was all just a ploy. I wish we'd known."

**"Let's get to the lions!" Keith ordered.**

**Allura shook her head again. "You can't. They're sealed in their hangars. There's no way to get them out! We're defenseless." Allura looked down at her feet.**

"That's a poor design choice." Lance commented.

**"Will you not help us?" The king asked in shock. "We'll help you, we just..." Keith trailed off as Lance groaned.**

"Aw, thanks for caring, buddy." Lance teased his friend. Keith didn't respond.

**"This is bad." Hunk said, and Coran pulled away from him to stand on his own. "We have to get a new crystal to get the castle running again. But, to get a new crystal, we need a ship." Coran muttered worriedly.**

Lance even seemed stumped. "I'm kind of happy to be able to see how you all got us out of this one."

**Pidge's eyes widened and she turned to Coran. "The pod I was loading! We can use that! I left the bay door open."**

"That's convenient." Shiro murmured, sending a half smile to Allura.

**Coran nodded and replied, "I can use the scanner in the pod to see if there is a Balmera nearby. Hunk, you come with me. I'll need someone big to help me carry the crystal."**

"You know, Coran, you might not be incredibly helpful in battles, but when the situation really calls for it, you know how to take charge. That's a good thing." Shiro complimented the man.

**"A Balmera?"**

Pidge grinned and said, "Oh my god! We're going to see how Hunk met his girlfriend!"

Hunk blushed. "Shut up."

**"It's where the crystals come from. Come on, I'll tell you on the way." Coran ordered, walking out of the room. Hunk and Pidge followed him.**

"We all know you love Shay." Lance teased him. "Don't lie."

**Keith turned to Shiro. "I'll go see what's happening in the Arusian village." He told him. Allura frowned and said, "I'll go with you, Keith. I brought this on the poor Arusians."**

"I hope you know it wasn't your fault, Allura." Keith whispered to the Princess.

Lance knew that Allura and Shiro were in some sort of relationship, but he didn't know Keith's sexuality, therefore...he couldn't stop being jealous.

**"I'll tend to Lance and stand watch over the castle." Shiro informed them, looking down at the Cuban boy.**

Lance smiled at Shiro, trying to push his jealousy away. "Aw, thanks, man."

**The scene switched to Hunk, Pidge, and Coran. Pidge was loading them into the pod and telling them how to work it. "It's our first bit of luck. There's a source not too far." Coran told the two. "We won't need a wormhole to get there, thankfully."**

**Hunk shoved his helmet on by hitting it.**

The team laughed, despite the situation.

**As the route lit up on the control panel, Pidge turned to look up at her friends. "I made some modifications to the shuttle. The first change is a cloaking device that I reverse-engineered from the invisible walls on the training deck." She smiled brightly, pointing to an icon on the board.**

"Now you have it for your whole lion. Nice, Pidge." Shiro complimented her. Pidge started to feel less guilty about wanting to leave the team.

**She pointed to another icon. "The second is a tank of booster fuel that I mounted on the fuel line."**

**Coran frowned and exclaimed, "Using that during flight would turn the whole pod into a bomb!"**

Lance smirked. "Yeah, and I think we'd had enough of those for one day."

**Hunk whimpered in fear. Pidge smiled and readjusted her glasses. "Okay. Maybe you shouldn't use that modification after all."**

**Coran raised his eyebrow questioningly. Hunk asked, "Are we ready to hit it?"**

"Hit it?" Keith asked, amused.

**"Right. Let's go." Coran grabbed onto the gear sticks. The front of the pod closed and it began to fly off. Pidge gave them a thumbs up and said, "Good luck."**

**Hunk smiled at her through the pod windows.**

"Okay, sappy stuff over now? Where's the action?" Lance complained. "You-You got hit by a bomb! Is it not supposed to be sappy?" Allura asked, shocked. Lance shrugged.

**The scene changed to Shiro, with Lance slung over his shoulder. "Hang on, buddy. Help is on the way."**

Lance groaned. "And it's sappy."

**Shiro's eyes widened in horror. The castle doors in front of them were wide open, and Sendak was marching toward them with an army of sentries. "Sendak." Shiro growled.**

"Yes! Not sappy!" Lance shouted.

**Shiro laid Lance down safely onto a bench attached to the wall. He ran toward Sendak. They stopped, only feet between them. "Stand aside." Sendak commanded.**

Coran tilted his head. "Did he assume that would work?"

**"No. You're not getting in." Shiro lit his robotic hand up and got into a fighting stance.**

Coran turned to Shiro. "Did you assume _that_ would work?!"

**"Yes. I am." Sendak threw his much larger, stronger robotic hand at Shiro. Shiro blocked, grunting with the effort. Sendak then summoned the hand back to him, and dragged Shiro across the ground with it. Shiro laid at Sendak's feet, groaning.**

Lance winced. "Sorry you had to go through that for me, Shiro."

**Sendak swung the hand down to crush Shiro, but he dodged, rolling backward. Shiro swung his glowing hand forward, swinging it at Sendak, who continued dodging or blocking each attack.**

"This looks like a purple glowstick fight. Sorry, Shiro, but it's true." Hunk giggled like a little girl.

**Shiro and Sendak swung their fists forward at the same time, and ended up with fist-to-fist.**

"Woo! Bestie fist bump." Pidge teased. Shiro sighed.

**Sendak grinned. "I see you spent some time with the druids. They do love to experiment. Too bad you didn't get the latest model." His fist flew off, throwing Shiro back into the castle. He rolled, groaning in pain.**

"Wait, wait, wait. Model?" Keith asked, eyes wide. "There are different models?"

**Shiro ended up laying on the ground, beside where Lance was laying. He looked up just in time to Sendak's fist flying toward him again, and he dodged. The fist crashed into the castle again, crushing the floor.**

"Jesus." Keith commented.

**Sendak came running at Shiro, and Shiro flipped him backward. They swung at each other, shouting in unison. Their hands ended up directly in front of each other's throats, and they froze, panting.**

Lance threw his hands up in the air. "What? You could have killed him right then!"

**Haxus interrupted, shocking Shiro. "Let him go. Or your friend won't make it." Haxus then dropped Lance to the ground.**

Lance gasped.

**Shiro turned around, distracted, and Sendak knocked him backward with his clawed fist. Shiro landed beside Lance, knocked out completely. "Voltron is ours." Sendak purred.**

"Shiro, you really didn't have to worry-"

"Of course I did, Lance. You're an important member of this team, and a very good friend."

**Pidge was watching from upstairs, clutching Rover to her chest. "Oh no." She whispered, sneaking away.**

Shiro laughed. "You just watched?"

**The scene changed to the Arusian village, which was burning, and parts of it exploding. Allura and Keith ran to stand beside the King and other Arusians on the cliffside. "What's happening?" Allura asked.**

Pidge's eyes softened. "Those poor Arusians..."

**"Look, attackers!" The King pointed to several Galra sentries in the middle of the village. There was another explosion.**

**"I'll go in for a closer look." Keith told them, sliding down the hill. "Stay here with them."**

Lance's breath caught in his throat.

**"Keith!" Allura cried out. Keith lunged off the side of the cliff, using his jetpack to slow down his fall. A tower collapsed beside the sentries, and they slowly toppled over. Keith, hiding behind a crumbling wall, narrowed his eyes.**

Pidge sighed. "Keith, do you really have to be so reckless?"

**"What?" He asked in confusion. Another sentry fell over and its arm broke in half. Keith's eyes widened. "Oh no. They tricked us! It was just a diversion to separate us and thin the castle defenses!" Keith shouted to Allura over com.**

Lance calmed down a bit.

**The scene changed back to Sendak and some sentries. The sentries stuck cords into the crystal. "Power up the castle." Sendak commanded. The castle began glowing purple, instead of blue, and several pictures of the lions in their hangars appeared in front of Sendak.**

"Oh no." Hunk whispered, curling in on himself.

**"The lions are all in their bays. Raising particle barrier. Begin launch sequence." Sendak grinned as the dark purple particle barrier descended around the castle. Keith and Allura ran up to the barrier just as it finished surrounding the castle.**

"Oof." Lance attempted to joke again. The truth was, he was feeling extremely overwhelmed and just wanted to go lay down somewhere.

**Keith punched the barrier. "We're too late." He growled. "No!"**

Lance winced.

**Allura stared up at the particle barrier hopelessly. "They have control over the castle. They're taking Voltron!"**

None of the team dared to say a word. Though all of this had already happened, it was still giving them all anxiety.

**The scene changed back to Sendak. "Make contact with Emperor Zarkon."**

"Ugh. I hate when they think they're winning." Keith slumped back in his chair.

**Haxus called Zarkon. "My mission is complete." Sendak told him proudly. "I have captured the Altean castle, and all of the Voltron lions. I am currently preparing for launch and will be delivering them all to you shortly."**

"No. No, you won't." Hunk giggled.

**"This news is most pleasing. You have done your duty. Vrepit sa." Zarkon replied in his naturally growling voice.**

**Sendak grinned, teeth bared. "Vrepid sa."**

"I love that weird saying!" Pidge squeaked. (me)

**"Haxus, ready the castle for takeoff!"**

**"Yes, commander."**

**Shiro and Lance still laid unconscious on the floor behind them.**

"Wow." Allura sighed. "We were in dire need of better castle defenses."

**The scene changed to Keith and Allura. "Can we break through the barrier?" Keith asked urgently, pulling out a sword. Allura shook her head. "No. And whoever has taken the castle has a crystal, which means they'll be able to fly the ship. We have to stop them!"**

**"How are we going to do that?" Keith asked desperately.**

**"Keith, can you hear me?" Pidge whispered over com.**

**Keith gasped. "Pidge? Is that you? Where are you?"**

**The scene changed to Pidge, hiding behind a corner, with sentries on the other side. "I'm inside the castle. Sendak has taken over and he's preparing for launch. He's got Lance and Shiro."**

**Allura interjected. "Pidge, listen. If they've started the launch sequence, then we don't have much time before liftoff to stop it."**

"That's optimistic." Coran said sarcastically.

**"What do I have to do?"**

**"You have to get down to the main engine control panel and disconnect the primary turbine from the central energy chamber."**

Lance drooped. "Yep, if I were Pidge, we'd all die."

**Pidge pulled up a map of the castle on her wrist.**

**"If you can do that, Sendak will have to reset the whole system. That might give us enough time to find a way to stop him."**

Keith was nodding along to the screen, waiting for the resolution.

**The scene changed to Hunk and Coran. "Is this the Balmera planet with the crystals?" Hunk asked, leaning out the window.**

**Coran tilted his head and replied, "Well, it's not a planet. Balmera are ancient animals. Petrified, but still alive. Their bodies naturally create the crystals that help power mini Altean ships. I often accompanied by grandfather to visit these majestic creatures when he was building the castle of lions. I'll never forget the first time I saw the sparkling surface of a Balmera. You're in for quite a treat."**

Pidge hummed to herself. "Sparkling surface? Wasn't it brown and kind of dirty?"

**Once the ship emerged through the clouds of dust, the Balmera surface was in sight. There were Galra towers and steps all over the Balmera, and it was crystal-less. "Oh no. This is horrifying." Coran leaned forward in shock. "The Galra have turned this into a mining colony! They're completely destroying it! They have no regard for the poor creature!"**

Lance rubbed at his eyes in frustration. "Why is this episode so sad!?"

**An alarm began blaring in the ship. "Uh oh, we've been spotted." Hunk's eyes widened.**

**A Galra ship flew overhead. "Hailing unidentified ship. State your ship ID, entry code, and landing destination."**

Pidge snorted. "What is this? An airport?"

**Hunk immediately started panicking. "Oh no! What do we do?!"**

"Well, not what you're doing right now, that's for certain." Shiro murmured. Allura giggled.

**"Just stay calm." Coran said, and then turned on the radio to talk to the ship. "We don't really need to land. We're just looking around, if that's okay."**

Allura facepalmed.

**The Galra ship grew closer. "Unidentified ship, land immediately and prepare to be boarded."**

"Good job, guys." Lance muttered sarcastically.

**"Okay. Uh, thank you, see you down below." Coran replied, and then grabbed the gear sticks, flying the ship at extremely fast speeds, and dodging blasts. "Not done yet. Hold tight." He said to Hunk, flying the ship straight down a hole in the Balmera.**

"Woah, Coran. That's some awesome flying." Keith complimented him. Coran grinned.

**Hunk kept screaming even when Coran turned on the headlights and slowed down the ship. "Coran! How deep is this thing?" He asked, calming himself a little.**

"Deep." Allura replied for him.

**The ship crashed into one of the bars, and then went out of control, crashing into the floor. The pod opened, and Hunk pulled off his helmet. In the shadows of a tunnel, were a pair of yellow glowing eyes. Only the feet of the bodies where in sight.**

"Ew. That's like a horror movie." Lance said, shielding his eyes.

**"Coran, what lives at the bottom of these mines?" Hunk asked shakily.**

"Your girlfriend." Pidge giggled when Hunk blushed.

**The scene changed to the castle. Pidge pushed open a door that led down a very far drop down. "Here, Rover." She called, and let the robot go ahead of her. "Here we go." She murmured as she began using her jetpack to spring from side to side.**

"Don't those run out of fuel after awhile?" Shiro sounded concerned.

**The scene changed to Sendak again. "Run main cluster activation sequence."**

**"Activation sequence initiated. Powering up for launch."**

"Oh, this can only go badly." Hunk put his head in his hands.

**The scene changed back to Pidge, running at a glowing blue ball of light. "Okay, Allura, I'm at the turbine. I think it's started."**

**"Then you'll have to hurry. Cross the catwalk to the main column in the center."**

"What are you guys even _saying_?" Lance asked.

  **Pidge ran up the main column. "Okay." She crouched in front of a control panel.**

**"Now, open the hatch. Find the central computer control hub and enter the following sequence-"**

No one said anything.

**Pidge interrupted. "Wait, wait, wait! Which one is it? They're all labeled in Altean!"**

Lance winced. "Yep, that's not good."

**The scene changed back to Sendak. Haxus turned around. "Commander Sendak, we are ready for launch."**

**The scene changed to Pidge again. The turbine began glowing brighter, and Pidge's eyes widened. "I can't tell which one it is! Allura? Allura!"**

Shiro frowned. "What happened?"

**The scene changed to Allura and Keith. "I've lost connection with Pidge! Oh no, it's taking off!" Allura cried.**

"Oh god." Shiro whispered.

**The scene changed back to Pidge. "Uh, whatever." She pushed her bayard into the hatch and it exploded, shooting her back.**

"Not the best idea but, that's okay." Shiro patted her head.

**The turbine stopped glowing, and Pidge grinned at Rover.**

**The scene changed to Haxus. "The main engine just shorted out!" He exclaimed in confusion. Sendak walked forward and zoomed in on Pidge leaving the room. "We have a saboteur. Find him and take him out."**

Hunk ran a hand through his hair. "Not good, not good."

**The screen went black.**

The team groaned.

"Next! Put on the next one!" Lance urged the voice.

 


	9. AUTHOR NOTE

Hey! I'm currently working on the next episode/chapter of this story. However, I also have a lot of schoolwork, and several end of the semester tests coming up. So, it might be a couple extra days until the chapter comes out. Expect it Friday-Saturday! I hope you all understand and enjoy my writing! :)


	10. Tears of the Balmera Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know. It took so long and it's still a part 1! But, I've been super busy lately and I really wanted to get this done but I just didn't have time. So, I did as much as I could in the time I had. Next chapter will not only be the rest of Tears of the Balmera, it will also have a fun game with the team! Hope you enjoy!

**The episode began in the castle, which was currently controlled by Sendak. Shiro was on his knees, hands tied up behind him, and Lance was still unconscious. "Haxus! I want whoever's in this ship found and terminated!" Sendak shouted.**

Pidge giggled. "Yeah, and they did really well at that, too." She murmured sarcastically, smiling.

**"Commander Sendak, I've received a transmission generating from somewhere inside." Haxus then leaned over a control board and pressed a button.**

**Allura's voice began playing. "There's not much time before they get the ship running again. You must shut off the particle barrier so we can get in."**

Allura gasped. "But...how?"

**Pidge's voice said, "You got it. Tell me what to do."**

**"The particle barrier generator is beneath the main hull."**

**Allura's voice continued playing in the background, as Haxus frowned. "She's telling the intruder how to take down our defenses."**

Allura frowned and turned to Coran. "You did update our security so that the conversations we're more incognito right? Because, this should not have happened."

**Sendak bared his teeth. "Yes, but she's also giving away his location. Find that room. Kill the paladin!" Sendak commanded the sentries. They turned and walked out of the room.**

**Sendak turned back to Haxus. "Repair the engine. Emperor Zarkon has commanded us to bring him Voltron. This ship will rise before day's end."**

Keith snorted. "They always say that, but it never happens."

**The scene changed to the Balmera. Hunk and Coran were whimpering in fear as the Balmerans got closer, still shadowed by darkness.**

**"Okay, don't come any closer!" Hunk ordered weakly. "I don't know how to use this very well." He gestured to his gun.**

Keith facepalmed. "Threatening, Hunk."

**Shay and her brother walked out from the darkness. "Wait, you're not Galra." Hunk said, lowering his gun. Shay blinked and replied, "Nor are you."**

**A Galra patrol ship above them made the ground rumble. "A patrol!" Her brother cried. "Shay, we must take leave from these ones, now." He put his hand on her shoulder.**

Pidge began humming a familiar tune under her breath but Hunk didn't recognize it until she said whispered, "Baby I love you..." and Hunk promptly hit her with an empty chip bag, blushing.

**Coran thrust his hand out. "Wait! Please, we need your help! If the Galra find us, they'll kill us."**

**"Or torture us." Hunk interjected.**

**"Or keep us as some kind of creepy pet to play with as they please."**

Shiro winced and Allura patted his back.

**Shay's brother glared at him. "Not our problem, Hairy Lip!"**

The team burst out laughing.

**"The Galra see us near _you_ and they kill both you and us." He added coldly. "Shay, exit!"**

"Nothing can stand between true love." Lance decided to join in on the teasing.

**Shay stopped him. "No! These many years only Galra have been seen here. I will not turn my back on the skylings!"**

**"Vex." Her brother spat, stomping toward the crashed pod. Shay raced up to join him. "Grab a side, in here!" Her brother urged, and pushed the pod into a tunnel.**

"Woo! Shay!" Pidge clapped.

**Once they were safe inside the tunnel, Hunk turned to smile at them. "Thanks for saving us. My name's Hunk."**

**Shay smiled back. "Shay. And this one, my brother Rax." She tapped her brother lightly. "How did you fall to us?"**

Allura giggled to herself. "Rax was never the...most friendly, but he had his good moments."

**Hunk tilted his head. "Well, we came looking for something. And you guys might be the right people to help us find it."**

**The scene changed back to the castle.**

Coran groaned. "I liked the romantic comedy better."

**"Pidge, have you made it to the generator room?" Allura asked over com. On que, Pidge ran into a room with purple electricity, with Rover at her side. "I'm in. This technology is so advanced, I don't know if I can figure it out."**

Shiro rolled his eyes. "Nonsense, Pidge, we all know you're the tech genius of the century."

**"Yes, you can. The lives of your fellow paladins are at stake." Allura urged her. "You can't give up."**

"That's not very reassuring." Lance muttered.

**The scene changed to Pidge, years ago, when she was still known as Katie.**

(I'm going to refer to her as Katie in the flashbacks so it's easier to understand)

**Pidge's Father sat at the table, along with Katie, Matt, and her mother. "I hope you enjoy this home cooked meal, Matt. After our launch to Kerberos tomorrow, we'll be eating freeze-dried peas for the next two months."**

Pidge gasped, and the rest of the team sat in shocked silence.

**Matt grinned and replied, "Don't lie! I know you love those peas, Dad."**

**Her father chuckled and picked at his food. "It's true. Those Garrison chefs really know how to genetically manufacture a delicious vegetable." He turned to Katie.**

Lance, trying to lighten the mood again, leaned toward Pidge and smirked flirtatiously. "You were really pretty back then, huh, Pidge?"

Pidge, seizing her moment, turned to him with a mischievous, yet irritated expression. "Are you saying I'm not now? Hm? Am I not now?"

Lance leaned back as she glared at him, teasingly. "W-What? No! Pretend I said nothing. Nothing at all!"

**Katie sighed. "I wish I was going up with you guys."**

**Her father smiled. "Just you wait, kiddo. Something tells me you're going to have your own crew someday."**

"I do..." Pidge smiled at her friends.

**"You're going to fly with them to worlds so far away, we can't even imagine. I bet my bottom dollar, you're going to be part of something that makes the whole universe sit up and take notice."**

Lance started dramatically fanning his face with one hand. "I'm going to cry, guys!"

Keith smiled at Pidge. She smiled back even wider.

**The scene changed to the news, another flashback. "The Galaxy Garrison mission to the distant moon of Kerberos is missing, and all crew members are believed to be dead."**

The team gasped, and Pidge looked away swiftly.

**The scene zoomed out to show Pidge's mother staring in horror at the screen, and Katie on the stairs with an equally terrified look. "The Galaxy Garrison has said that the crash was presumably a pilot error. It is, indeed, a sad day for all humanity."**

**Katie's eyes filled with tears.**

Shiro wrapped an arm around her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her.

**The scene changed to Katie, typing on a Garrison computer with a determined glare. Suddenly, the door opened and the light flicked on, revealing Iverson in the doorway. "You again?! Get off my computer, how did you get past the guards?!" Iverson shouted.**

None of the team said a word.

**Katie didn't flinch, glaring up at him. "You said the spacecraft went down due to pilot error! I saw the video feeds from your probes. There's no evidence of a crash anywhere on Kerberos." She clenched her fists.**

Lance's eyes widened. "They lied? I thought they were just wrong."

**"Those feeds are classified!" Iverson growled. "I could charge you with treason for hacking into them." He grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the room. "Where's my family?" She demanded once he let go.**

**"Escort Miss Holt off the premises and make sure every guard knows that she's never allowed on Garrison property ever again!" He ordered. A guard grabbed her arms and pulled her out. "You can't keep me out! I'll find the truth! I'll never stop!"**

Allura blinked tears from her eyes. "You were doing all you could do, Pidge."

**The scene changed back to Pidge, narrowing her eyes and frowning in determination. "Okay. Tell me what to do."**

The team cheered. Suddenly, the screen stopped and the disembodied voice spoke up again. "Listen up, Team Voltron. Are any of you up for a game?"

 

 

 

 

 


	11. Tears of the Balmera Part 2 (plus a game)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long to come out! It was my birthday on Sunday, and I also had a huge test to study for. I hope you enjoy!

The team blinked in confusion. "What kind of game?" Shiro asked, suspicion evident in his tone.

The voice took a moment to respond. "Paintball. But this kind of paintball, is far more dangerous."

Shiro opened his mouth to object, but the voice continued. "You will be split up into two teams, and you will each get a paintball gun, as well as your paladin armor. If you get shot with a paintball bullet, it will send an excruciating amount of pain through your body. As soon as the first person gets hit, the game ends."

Lance gasped. "Okay, no, nope. Nuh uh."

"You have no choice." The voice replied. "We will begin now. If you don't begin firing at each other, there will be no mercy for your lives."

Shiro bit his lip harshly. "We accept."

None of the other paladins dared to question him, but they did seem uncertain.

"We will begin, then. The first team will be, Hunk, Keith, Lance, and Coran."

Allura glared at the ceiling. "That is not fair! Our team only has three people!"

"Yes, but Coran is useless in battle. You have an advantage in intelligence and leadership."

Allura looked over at Shiro and Pidge. She shrugged. "Fair enough."

Coran looked extremely offended.

"Begin."

 

Once the teams got into their armor, and had their paintball guns, they pulled their chairs over into separate corners to make bases.

"I'm so sorry everybody over there. No hard feelings?" Lance called, shrugging with a nervous smile. Shiro nodded. "No hard feelings."

"1...2...3!" The voice called, and immediately both teams started firing. Their paintball guns were each their color, and the bullets were as well. Shiro's chair/base area was covered in yellow and blue splatters, and Keith seemed to be having a hard time aiming the gun. Coran was curled up in fear, leaning on Hunk.

Allura launched up and begin screaming in rage as she fired bullets at the other team. Lance pulled Keith and Hunk into cover as pink bullets hit the wall above them. Allura didn't stop firing until she nearly lost her voice.

Keith growled under his breath.

"What?" Lance asked, frowning.

Keith turned to him. "I can't aim the gun, but if I can get close enough, it'll be easy to just shoot them..."

Hunk turned, shaking his head wildly. "No, I can sense when you're about to be dumb. You're not running out there, you'll get hit!"

 

Lance nodded. "Yeah, I got to agree with Hunk. It's an insane idea!"

Keith gripped his gun with newfound determination. "It might be, but someone's got to get hit anyway right?"

Pidge started firing at them, her green bullets hitting the chairs and startling Lance and Keith.

"Look, I've got to get out there!" Keith pointed to the chairs, rattling with the impact of several shots.

Keith stood up and flung himself over the top of the chairs, ignoring Lance's attempt to grab him. He raced toward the others, avoiding several bullets from Allura, and pointed his gun at her.

Just as his finger began to pull the trigger, Shiro shot him in the chest. Keith fell to the ground with a strangled yell, and Lance knocked down a chair in his run to get him.

It wasn't like Keith was actually injured, but just as the voice promised, waves of pain were shooting up his body, tightening his muscles with each jolt. It felt like fire was boiling his blood, and he clenched his teeth, whimpering lowly.

Lance carefully lifted Keith into his lap. "Keith, buddy! Hey, hey, hey. Are you okay?" He asked, trying to get Keith to look him in the eye.

Shiro blinked in horror, not saying a word. Pidge walked over to Lance, eyes wide. "I-Is he okay?" She asked, crouching.

The voice spoke up. "The game is over. He'll be fine."

 

Keith suddenly gasped in relief, going limp with it. He smiled up at Lance's concerned face. "Does this count as a bonding moment?"

Lance shoved Keith off of him and stormed over to the corner, rearranging their chairs and sitting down without another word.

Shiro walked over to Keith guiltily. "Keith, I am so sorry for-" but Keith waved him off. "No, one of his had to get shot for it to end, right? You were just protecting Allura." Keith gestured to the princess, who seemed uncomfortable.

Shiro smiled at Keith thankfully and sat down beside her, as Coran did the same. Keith reluctantly sat beside Lance and Pidge, and Hunk came to sit down. "So, you're okay?" Hunk checked with Keith, frowning. Keith nodded, but he still seemed nervous.

It wasn't like Keith to act like this. He seemed tense and paranoid, not that anyone could blame him after going through that.

"We will continue where we left off."

 

**The screen turned on to Pidge again. "Okay. Talk me through it, Allura."**

**"Shutting down the barrier from this room can be dangerous. Remember, the barrier is also a weapon, so stay away from the energy arcs."**

Keith, attempting to get some light out of the still tense situation, smiled softly. "Wow, I never would've guessed that she shouldn't touch the lightning bolts."

**Pidge looked around. "Don't touch the giant lightning bolts. Got it."**

**"Now, what I'm going to need you to do is--" Allura was cut off by Rover knocking Pidge out of the way of a blast. Pidge screamed.**

Lance sighed. "Aw man, now I miss Rover."

**Multiple sentries chase Pidge out of the room. "Pidge! Hello? Are you there?" Allura continued calling.**

**The scene changed back to outside with Keith and Allura. "Pidge? What's going on?!"**

Pidge leaned on Keith, offering her support silently.

**Allura's eyes widened. "Wait, the mice. Maybe they can help!" She closed her eyes tightly. "Friends, I need your help." Her mind communicated to the sleeping mice.**

Coran pouted. "Why can I not speak to them like that?"

**The scene changed back to Pidge and Rover, who were currently taking cover from the sentries blasts. Pidge checked the area behind her on the wrist hologram and groaned. "My only way out is two floors up? Seriously?!" She dodged a blast.**

**"Let's try this." She said, tapping on the hologram. A hologram of Pidge raced out in front of the sentries. "There!" One screamed and fired at her, but hit nothing but the lightning bolts, which electrocuted most of them.**

"Smart girl, Pidge." Allura complimented with a grin.

**Taking the distraction, Pidge ran out of cover and narrowly dodged a couple shots. She turned her bayard into a grappling hook and pulled herself into an air vent. "Woah, can't believe that worked."**

Keith chuckled, but his voice was scratchy and deep. Pidge narrowed her eyes.

**"You stay and guard the generator." Two sentries said to another. The other two sentries ran down a hall. Pidge cut a hole through another opening to an air vent and kicked it, letting her into the training deck.**

Coran shivered. "Purple is not a good color for the castle."

**Two sentries shattered a window into the training room and landed in front of Pidge. Pidge blocked their shots with her shield and opened up a hologram of the castle again. "The invisible maze!" She gasped. "Let's see them get through this."**

Lance snorted. "I know I couldn't." He turned to see if Keith reacted at all, and his smile dropped when the other boy didn't. Keith remained emotionless, staring at the screen.

**Pidge dodged them, sliding underneath one, and turned on the maze. The maze turned on just in time to cut the arm off of the sentry attacking her. The sentries continued hitting walls as Pidge slipped through another vent.**

**Pidge only managed to get into one other vent before the sentry caught up to her, sliding in after her. She desperately tried to crawl away but ended up getting shot in the back, and falling through a hole in the floor of the event with a loud shout.**

Shiro winced. "Ouch."

Keith rolled his eyes and muttered, very quietly, "Yeah, I know how that feels."

**Pidge continued falling until shooting her grappling hook bayard up to attach to the sentry, dodging two blasts from it before pulling the sentry down. Pidge stood on a ledge in the deep hole as she watched it fall, sighing relief.**

**The sentry exploded at the bottom and Pidge lost her balance, tipping backward with a yelp, but Rover held her up. "Rover. Nice save, buddy." Pidge smiled.**

Pidge sighed sadly.

**The scene changed back to Hunk and Coran, with the Balmerans. "Thanks for the delicious soup!" Hunk thanked them. "Are there potatoes in here?"**

**Shay held up her bowl. "Grandma's special dish for special visitors. Cave root for the skin, cave bugs for the soul."**

Lance rubbed his forehead with two fingers. "They always ruin it by telling you."

**Hunk gagged, but tried to hide it. Coran's eyes widened. "Oh..." He murmured. "Thank you for the bugs."**

Keith smiled, a real smile this time. He seemed to be recovering from the initial shock of the paintball game.

**The Grandma poured more soup into Coran's bowl. "Okay, I think that's too many." Coran tried to softly interrupt. Hunk looked up and asked, "How many of you are there down here?"**

Pidge tilted her head, getting off of Keith. "I'd say hundreds, maybe a thousand?"

**A Balmeran replied, "There are thousands here on Balmera. We work and live in these mines."**

"Thousands?" Pidge gasped.

**"We harvest crystals for Zarkon." Shay added sadly. Hunk looked down at his bowl. "Zarkon. That's so _sad_ that he's enslaved an entire planet."**

**The other Balmeran frowned. "Zarkon may rule, but we still have family. That's where true happiness comes from."**

**Rax stood up angrily. "Galra would tear our family asunder if they found these ones! Everyone comes to Balmera and takes, but gives nothing in return."**

Allura smiled softly. "I'm so glad we could help."

**Shay interrupted. "In the past, those who took the Balmera's crystals would replenish her with energy. It was an equal exchange. But the Galra only take. It is no wonder we can feel her suffering." Shay placed her hand on the ground of the Balmera, and the ground glowed blue as Shay sighed.**

Keith was staring at the floor, a distant, sorrowful look in his eyes.

**Hunk looked at Shay. "I'm sorry that we put everyone in this situation, but the faster we get the crystal and get out, the faster everyone is out of danger."**

Pidge grinned at Hunk. "You really are the kindest."

**"We're looking for a battleship-class crystal." Coran told them. A balmeran's eyes widened. "Battleship-class crystal? Those are most rare. Galra soldiers guard them ceaselessly until their harvest. Your quest is in vain."**

"Of course they do." Lance raised an eyebrow in annoyance.

**Shay's eyes narrowed. "There is one, found only weeks ago. It is almost excavated." She turned to her family. Rax shouted, "Quiet! Even if they could steal the crystal from the Galra, battle patrols wait to take down their ship. These ones have no chance of getting out of here alive, with crystal or without."**

The team blinked in shock. "Well, that's positive." Shiro muttered sarcastically.

**Hunk ignored him. "Okay, so this crystal we need is basically the hardest thing in the universe to get." He turned to Coran.**

**Coran put a hand under his chin. "Well, I don't know about the hardest. There is the scaultrite mineral found only in the stomachs of weblums. Collecting that stuff is no picnic. But yes, this seems difficult."**

Hunk and Keith shivered at the mention of the weblum, and Keith flinched in pain after feeling his paintball injury flare up again.

**"You may stay here until Balmera gives another crystal." Shay offered. "One that is hidden from Galra eyes."**

**Hunk glared at her. "We don't have that kind of time. I have an injured friend who needs to get into a magic healing machine, stat."**

Lance high fived Hunk. "Yeah, buddy!"

**Coran turned to Hunk. "Hunk, you fix the pod. I'm going to do some reconnaissance and see if I can come up with another plan."**

"You're going to some what now?" Keith joked.

**The scene changed back to Pidge and Rover. Pidge climbed out of another air vent and pulled off her helmet, taking a break. The scene changed to a flashback.**

"Another?" Pidge groaned, embarrassed.

**Katie stood in front of a mirror, in the Garrison uniform. "First day of school. Time for a haircut." She picked up the scissors in front of her and chopped her long hair off in just a few cuts.**

Hunk sighed. "Wow, I wish you hadn't had to cut it off. It looked nice."

**The scene changed to another flashback, with Lance and Hunk. "I made it! I'm a fighter pilot!" Lance exclaimed, and started victory dancing.**

Keith facepalmed.

**"Hasta la later, Keith!" Lance added with a grin.**

Lance looked away as Keith growled. "Really?"

**"And look, you're my engineer!" Lance pointed to the screen on the wall. Hunk chuckled. "Cool. Can I do that from the ground?"**

Allura smirked. "I guess some things never change."

**Lance ignored him, leaning forward. "And our communications officer is...who the heck is Pidge Gunderson?" (Changing Katie to Pidge now, I'll tell you all when it leaves the flashback)**

"Oh yeah, because that's not rude." Coran said sarcastically, confusing the other paladins.

**"Right here." Pidge called from behind them. They turned around. "Welcome to the team, Gunderson. I'm Lance, your fighter pilot." Lance introduced himself confidently.**

**Lance offered his hand to shake. "Hey, I'm Hunk."**

**"We got a lot of great times ahead so we should probably start bonding now." Lance interrupted. Lance continued talking, but it was drowned out by Pidge listening to Iverson.**

**"Security for the Galaxy Garrison's mainframe is our first priority. It's been breached once. And by a little girl, no less. It cannot happen again!" Iverson ordered another staff member.**

**When Iverson walked past, Pidge lifted one arm to salute. "Wrong arm, cadet." Iverson grumbled. Pidge quickly changed arms, Lance and Hunk following suit.**

**Once Iverson was a safe distance away, Lance continued. "Hello? Pizza? Girls? Astronauts?"**

**Pidge shook her head and walked away. "Sorry, but I don't have time to mess around with you guys. See you in the simulator."**

**Lance glared after her. "What is his problem?" and stormed away, Hunk following. Pidge looked over her shoulder sadly, and headed for Iverson's office.**

"Understandable, now." Hunk nodded.

**The scene changed back to the present, leaving the flashback. "You know, Rover, I haven't always been there for my team." Pidge smiled as she pulled on her helmet. "But this time, I will be."**

The team cheered.

**"Come on." Pidge called as she raced down a hall. The scene changed to the mice, running through an air vent with cheerful mouse smiles.**

"THAT IS ADORABLE!" Lance squeaked. Keith plugged his ears dramatically.

**The scene changed to Hunk and Shay. Hunk was messing around with the wiring of the pod, and Shay was leaning on a rock. "Tell me, what is the sky like?" Shay asked curiously.**

**"The sky? You've seriously never seen the sky?" Hunk sounded shocked.**

Lance sighed, leaning back in his chair. "I can't imagine having never seen a sky. I remember the beautiful blue skies and puffy white clouds that you could see from the beaches..." He trailed off, a distant look in his eyes.

**Shay looked away. "No. But at night, I sneak up as high as I dare..." She trailed off for a moment as she climbed on top of the pod. "Trying to imagine what it is like..."**

The team seemed too sad and involved to say a word.

**Her smile dropped. "Oh, lucky are you to fly in this machine to worlds far from here."**

"I'd never thought of it that way..." Pidge muttered.

**Hunk looked at the ground. "Well, it doesn't have to be like this. You can be free, too."**

**"Free?"**

**"Yeah, free. It means you can go where you want, be what you want, do what you want. No Galra masters to tell you what to do."**

Allura smiled sadly. "I am glad we freed these people."

**Shay jumped down, confused. "It makes no sense. Zarkon controls everything..."**

**Hunk continued to smile. "No, nope. Things are changing. Have you heard of Voltron?"**

Coran chuckled lightly. "I'm sure they hadn't."

**Shay laughed breathily. "A child's tale."**

**Hunk frowned for a moment. "It's real. I'm one of the paladins, and Voltron is going to defeat Zarkon."**

Keith grinned. "Hell yeah, we are."

**"You are?"**

**Before Hunk could reply, Rax interrupted. "Stop filling this one's head with your shadow show! The cavern is our home. This will never change. Come." Rax beckoned Shay, who followed him reluctantly.**

Lance groaned. "That guy is such a downer."

**The scene changed back to Haxus, inside the castle. "Powering sub panels."**

**Sendak spoke over com, "Sub panel energy transducer is go."**

Allura frowned. "I hate seeing them in the castle. It scares me."

**Behind them, Pidge climbed up a ladder unseen. Haxus and Sendak continued talking. Pidge opened a panel on the wall and scanned it. "Gotcha." She whispered.**

**"Initializing complete. I'm set for main power up." Haxus told Sendak.**

"What do these words mean?" Lance asked Hunk. Hunk shrugged.

**"The bridge is go."**

**"Powering up."**

**Pidge pulled up two levels of energy on her wrist hologram. "And up, and up, and up. I would not want to be touching a metal surface when this thing overloads."**

"Isn't that ladder metal?" Shiro asked in confusion.

**An alarm began blaring. "Sir, something is wrong." Haxus said, and the blue energy ball began growing in size. It electrocuted Haxus. Pidge jumped off the ladder and held onto Rover so she wouldn't fall.**

"Oh." Shiro said.

**Pidge landed in front of Haxus. "You're the one causing all this trouble? A child?" Haxus glared at her. Pidge glared back. "I am not a child. I'm a paladin of Voltron."**

"Still a child, though." Allura pointed out.

**Haxus staggered to his feet and pulled out his sword. "Let me tell you something, child. I'm a soldier of the Galra empire. Nothing stops me but triumph or death." He grinned deviously. He began swinging his sword at Pidge, and she dodged several blows, rolling to the side.**

Allura winced. "I did not mean to put you in danger."

**Pidge grappling hooked Haxus' sword, but he used it to pull her across the room and slam her into the ground. Haxus walked over to her. "Nowhere left to run. Nowhere left to hide." He lifted his sword to deliver a killing blow.**

**Rover beeped loudly behind him, distracting him just long enough for Pidge to dart through his legs and wrap his leg in the string of the grappling hook. She pulled it, knocking him over.**

Pidge looked away from the screen. She knew what was coming.

**Haxus lost his balance, about to slip over the edge. He saved himself, but Rover knocked into his face and pushed him off. Haxus grabbed Rover in an attempt to save himself. "Rover!" Pidge cried.**

The team held their breath, still hoping for the impossible.

**Rover held him up for a couple seconds, but before Haxus could save himself, Rover powered down and Haxus and Rover fell to their death. "NO!" Pidge shouted, racing to the edge.**

Lance squeezed his eyes shut tightly and looked away. Pidge had covered her ears and was being softly comforted by Shiro.

**Pidge pulled away from the edge, devastated. "Haxus, report in." Sendak said over com behind her. Pidge walked over, glaring. "Haxus is gone, and you're next!"**

No one said anything, wallowing in the grief of their old friend.

**"You've slowed me down, but this ship is mine!" Sendak retorted. "You will turn yourself over to me immediately!"**

**"Never!"**

**"Well, then maybe your leader can convince you."**

Allura's eyes widened in realization. "No..." She whispered.

**"What do you want?" Shiro growled over the com. Pidge's eyes widened. "Your friend wanted to hear from you." Sendak replied simply.**

**"Shiro?" Pidge asked.**

Lance looked like he was about to throw up.

**Shiro's eyes widened in horror. "Pidge, don't listen to h-" Shiro was cut off by Sendak electrocuting him. He groaned loudly in agony.**

**The screaming continued for multiple seconds as Pidge was staring, eyes wide.**

"Shiro, I-" Lance began, sounding choked. "Don't worry about it, Lance. It wasn't your fault." Shiro assured him. But, Lance didn't seem calmed.

**"No!" Pidge gasped out, wincing. Her eyes widened when Sendak spoke again. "You can make it stop. Turn yourself in. His suffering is in your hands."**

Allura was blinking, terrified. "Oh my..."

**The scene changed back to the Balmera. "Is your ship repaired so that you may depart our presence?" Rax growled. Hunk tilted his head. "Uh, are you saying that you want us to leave?"**

**"Yes."**

**"Well, it's working, but we can't leave without the crystal. You come up with any ideas on how to get it?" Hunk asked Coran.**

The team was trying to shake off the shock.

**Coran smirked. "Actually, yes." He turned to Hunk. The scene changed to Hunk and Coran trying to fake being Galra. Hunk was underneath, wrapped in a robe, and Coran was on his shoulders wearing a Galra mask.**

**"I can't believe I'm the legs again." Hunk groaned. "I took out the guard, I should get to be the head."**

The team couldn't help but laugh a little.

**"Shh, legs don't talk." Coran warned as they approached two guards. "Oh, hello, gentlemen. Shift's over. Boss needs you back at the guard shack." Coran greeted them.**

Pidge facepalmed.

**"Verify identification code." A soldier replied.**

**"Right...I didn't want to have to do this, but I'm going to have to pull rank." Coran added, moving a Galra soldier arm around. "You guys are in big trouble, alright? So hand over those blasters and ID badges."**

Pidge facepalmed harder, startling Keith.

**The soldiers aimed their blasters. "Verify identification code or be destroyed."**

**"Okay, okay, I've got it right...Here!" Coran shouted, throwing off the robe and letting Hunk shoot the two guards. Coran walked over to the crystal and placed his hands on it gently.**

**"What are you doing? We've got to hurry!" Hunk ordered.**

Allura scoffed. "What did you want him to do? Rip it out of the ground?"

**Coran turned around. "Well, I'm not just going to pry it out of here like some Galra monster. The Balmera is a sacred being. You have to communicate with it. Let your life forces connect. This is the way it was done in our time."**

"Exactly." Allura smiled.

**Hunk's eyes widened. "Wow, you really know your Balmeras."**

**The ground around the crystal rumbled, and then peeled away. Coran attempted to lift the crystal, and there was an image of a shattering spine on screen.**

The team gagged.

**Coran turned to Hunk with wide eyes. "I think I'm broken." He rasped. The two turned around to see around 15 Galra soldiers with their blasters pointed at them. Coran turned around stiffly. "Okay, guys, I hate to have to do this. Blasters and badges. Come on, give them up."**

Keith sighed. "Wow."

**Coran fell over and Hunk raised his hands in surrender. The scene changed back to Lance, Shiro, and Sendak. "I'm impressed that you managed to escape." Sendak said to Shiro. Pidge was seen hiding behind a corner.**

**"Perhaps it would be worth the trip to your planet to see if the rest of your kind have your spirit." Sendak added.**

Shiro shivered, looking away to focus on Allura instead.

**Sendak sighed. "Of course, they will all end up broken, just like you." Shiro was on his knees, head bent. "Now that we have Voltron, every planet, every race, all share the same fate."**

**The scene changed back to Hunk and Coran, in a Galra prison cell. "Quiznak, I can't believe they saw through our disguise!" Coran cursed.**

"I can." Pidge laughed.

**There was the sound of footsteps. "Someone is coming!" Coran gasped. Shay approached the cell with a Galra soldier's hand with her. "Shay?" Hunk asked in shock. She pressed the hand to the cell and it opened. "Make haste to your pod. The crystal is prepared for departure."**

"Shay, you are the real MVP!" Lance called to the screen, blowing kisses and clapping.

**"How did you get the crystal?" Coran asked, mouth wide open. "I was assigned to take it to the upper levels, but instead I took it down." Shay replied. "Soon, they will discover my ruse. Time is short."**

**She turned to leave, but Hunk put a hand on her shoulder and turned her around. "Why are you helping us? You'll get in trouble!"**

"Because I'm Shay, and I'm an MVP." Lance screamed.

**She stared back at him. "Because your words touched my heart. I wish for freedom for all Balmera. Perhaps your Voltron can make it so."**

**She led Hunk and Coran down several tunnels, before reaching an opening where Rax stood in front of several Galra soldiers. "No! Rax, why?" Shay exclaimed.**

The team gasped.

**"These two will only bring trouble to our family." Rax explained angrily. "It was the only way to protect you."**

**Hunk pulled out his bayard but Shay stopped him. "No! The Balmera will save us." She told him as she placed her hand on the ground. "Shay, no!" Rax screamed.**

No one dared to say a word.

**Coran and Hunk watched as pieces of rock fell onto the soldiers. Shay led them down another tunnel as fast as she could but several Galra followed them anyway. They had just reached their pod when a Galra soldier shot out a purple rope to tie around Shay.**

"Oh no." Pidge murmured.

**"Shay!" Hunk shouted, eyes wide.**

**She struggled in the ropes as they pulled her. "Go! Make haste!"**

**"Let her go!"**

**"No, Hunk! We have to go!"**

Allura covered her mouth with her hands.

**Hunk got into his seat reluctantly. "I'll come back for you, Shay! I promise!" He called, just as the pod closed and flew out. Coran attempted to avoid several ships. "If we can't dodge these patrols, we might be back here sooner than we want!" Coran said.**

**The scene changed back to the castle, where a soldier was marching the halls. The mice launched down from the ceiling, one landing on the soldier's head so it punched itself. Another bit the soldier's hand and made it shoot itself in the foot. The soldier fell off the edge and exploded.**

Hunk smiled shakily. "Heh, they're cute."

**The mouse put its hand on the particle barrier button and it went down. "It worked!" Keith exclaimed. "They did it!" Allura added happily. They ran inside the castle.**

Lance snorted. "The mice did more than you did, Keith."

**The scene changed to Sendak. He gasped as Pidge appeared in the doorway behind him. She dodged a hit from his fist, and hid behind a corner outside the doorway, but Sendak didn't notice and continued swinging down the hall. Pidge ran into the control room to Shiro. "Shiro, wake up. It's me, Pidge."**

**She was cut off by Sendak grabbing her shoulders and lifting her. "You really thought your little trick would work with me?" He asked, shaking her slightly. Keith and Allura ran in, and Keith activated his bayard. Lance had woken up behind them and shot Sendak in the arm, before passing out again.**

Lance laughed. "Hey, I finally get to see what happened while I was out!"

Keith rolled his eyes. "And you'll see our bonding moment."

**Keith raced at Sendak with a growl, managing to hit him a couple times before getting thrown across the room. Pidge ran up next, slicing his arm off with the sharp piece of her bayard. "No!" Sendak growled, running at her again. Allura ran over to the control module and started typing furiously.**

Shiro waited anxiously to see what would happen.

**Sendak knocked Pidge down, and Keith stood up to run at him instead. Sendak caught Keith's sword in one hand, and was holding it back. Allura continued typing and then turned to shout, "Keith! Now!"**

**Keith lifted his legs up to kick Sendak back as a smaller particle barrier came up around Sendak and trapped him.**

The team cheered at their victory.

**Pidge cut Shiro's handcuffs off. Keith walked over to Lance and offered his hand to help him sit up. "Lance, are you okay?" He asked, crouching beside him. Lance smiled, turning to him. "We did it. We are a good team." They were still holding hands.**

Lance and Keith blushed furiously and the rest of the team laughed. "I-I told you it happened." Keith muttered.

**Keith's eyes widened, and then he smiled as well. The scene changed to the Balmera, with several ships chasing their pod. "We can't shake them! We're not going to make it!" Coran shouted desperately. Hunk's finger hovered over the button to make the pod speed up that Pidge had installed. "Um, it might turn us into a giant fireball!" Coran warned.**

Pidge's eyes widened.

**"Maybe, but it's our only chance." Hunk replied. "Fine, fire in the hole!" Coran told him, terrified. Hunk pressed the button and the pod blasted out of the Balmera, leaving an explosion behind them. "Woo-hoo! We did it!" They celebrated.**

Pidge cheered. "It worked!"

**The scene changed back to the castle, with Lance in a pod. "After a day in here, he should be fully healed." Allura informed everyone calmly. Shiro walked over to Pidge. "Pidge, we can't thank you enough for all that you did. I can't help but feel that you were meant to be a part of our team..." He trailed off.**

Shiro smiled at Pidge.

**"But, I understand if you want to leave." He added, sighing. Pidge shut her eyes, and then opened them a few seconds later. "Dad used to tell me how close he was with his crew members. They were like family." Pidge looked up at Allura, Keith, and Shiro. "Now I know what he was talking about."**

"Aw..." Hunk teased Pidge. She blushed. "You know you feel it too."

**"I'm staying with you guys." She smiled. "Let's stop Zarkon for all our families."**

**Keith smiled down at her. "Good to have you back on the team."**

The screen turned black. Lance started fanning his teary eyes. "Oh, come on, man!"

"Next. Next!" Hunk urged the voice.

 

 

 


	12. Taking Flight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: There is some swearing in this chapter!

**The episode began with Lance in the healing pod, and everyone surrounding him.**

Lance laughed. "I feel attacked."

**"I can't tell if he looks healthy or not..." Hunk narrowed his eyes.**

**Pidge leaned in. "I think he's breathing weird."**

Allura giggled. "Why must you talk to hide concern?"

**"Oh, come on!" Keith growled, poking the pod. Allura pushed his hand back. "Not yet, a few more ticks."**

Keith and Lance blushed.

**Keith glared at Allura. "How much better do you think he's going to get in a few ticks?"**

Allura shrugged. "It does make a difference."

**Pidge interjected. "And what exactly is a tick?"**

**"You know, a time slice."**

Hunk frowned. "Time slice?"

**For the first time so far, Shiro spoke. "Like a second?"**

**"What is a second?"**

Coran pulled on his mustache. "Isn't that the earthling version of a tick?"

**Pidge pulled a timer out of her pocket. "Like this."**

**Allura leaned in and hummed. "I'm not sure, I think ticks are bigger." She looked up at Coran. "Coran, do you have a ticker?"**

Hunk nodded in agreement.

**Coran turned around. "Right here, Princess." He pulled out a ticker, and started it. It began ticking.**

Everyone listened closely.

**The team gathered around Coran. Hunk examined it closely. "Hm, I don't know, I think ticks are a little bigger."**

**Pidge looked up from the timer. "I can't tell, we have to start them at the same time."**

Lance rolled his eyes. "Oh, thanks for forgetting about me guys." He was joking, but he was a little hurt.

**Coran put the ticker next to the timer. "Okay, ready, go!" They both started the ticker and timer.**

"The anime boss battle." Hunk teased.

**"Yes! I think we're winning!" Hunk grinned.**

**Keith turned to him. "Winning what? The intergalactic time measuring competition?"**

**"Yes."**

The team laughed.

**While the team was distracted, the healing pod opened and Lance stumbled out. "You guys having a clock party?" He asked tiredly.**

**The team gasped. "Aw, Lance, you just ruined it-Hey, Lance!" Hunk exclaimed, hugging Lance to his chest tightly.**

Lance rubbed his ribs. "Yeah, that hurt."

**When Hunk released him, Lance looked up. "What happened?"**

**Allura walked over and put her hand on his shoulder. "We'll tell you all about it while you get something to eat. Can you walk?"**

Lance started humming romance songs and Keith slapped him in the back of the head.

**"Talking? Eating? Are you asking me out on a date?" Lance grinned flirtatiously. Allura frowned and pulled her hand away.**

Shiro glanced at Allura protectively, and glared at Lance.

**"Yep, he's fine."**

**"Classic."**

Lance gasped. "Hey, that's rude!"

**The scene changed to Lance eating food goo with the team around him. "He'd be Sendak's prisoner right now, if not for Pidge." Allura complimented the other paladin.**

Keith wanted to high five Pidge, but he was too nervous, so he didn't.

**Pidge smiled, looking very young and energetic. "Well, you wouldn't have survived the explosion if Hunk and Coran hadn't gotten a new crystal." She pointed out.**

**"Wow. Thanks everybody!" Lance smiled. Then he turned to Keith. "Sounds like the mice did more than you, though."**

Keith glared at Lance. "No, they didn't!"

**The mice looked up proudly while Keith crossed his arms. "I punched Sendak!"**

**"Yeah, apparently after I emerged from a coma and shot his arm off."**

**"We had a bonding moment, I cradled you in my arms!"**

Most of the team burst out laughing, while Keith and Lance turned away from each other and blushed.

**Lance crossed his arms and shook his head. "Nope, don't remember, didn't happen."**

Keith frowned, seemingly much more into his usual 'loner' state now.

**Lance turned to Allura. "So, what happened to Sendak?" He asked. She leaned forward a bit. "He's frozen in a cryo-pod. We're keeping him here in the castle."**

**The scene changed to Sendak, frozen in the castle. "Are you sure that's a good idea?" Lance asked.**

Hunk shivered. "It wasn't. I still remember the food goo attacking me. That was the worst betrayal of all time."

**"He's too dangerous to be set free." Allura pointed out. "Besides, we might be able to get some information about Zarkon from him."**

Shiro nodded slowly. "I guess we did get some."

**"So, what's the plan now?" Lance was still looking at Allura, seemingly concerned. "We have to get back to the Balmera to save Shay and her people!" Hunk declared with a frown.**

Keith nodded silently.

**"Wow, you are really hung up on this lady." Lance didn't notice the mice eating his food.**

Pidge reached over to Keith to punch Lance in the arm. "That's not the only reason!"

**Hunk shook his head. "No, it's not like that. Look, guys, when you see how Zarkon has treated these people and destroyed their home-They've been under his thumb for so long, they don't know what it is to be free. It's up to us to set this right, this is what being a paladin of Voltron is all about. It's time to man up."**

Allura smiled proudly at Hunk. "You've come a long way."

**Pidge's eyes widened at Hunk's choice of words. "Then let's get moving, time to go defend the universe." Shiro urged the team. They followed him, but Pidge stood up and interrupted. "Wait. I have something to say first. I have to come clean."**

Shiro turned to Pidge, his eyes shining with happiness and pride. Like a real father. It was a look Pidge had seen in her own dad many times before. She smiled.

**"And I'm afraid this may change the way you think about me." She readjusted her glasses. "Just so there are no secrets between us anymore...I can't man up. I'm a girl."**

Keith managed to smile reassuringly at Pidge, despite feeling awkward about it. "I'm glad you told us."

**Pidge tilted her head. "Well, I mean, I can man up, because that's just a figure of speech. I don't actually have to be a man to man up. I just have to be tough. But what I'm saying-" Pidge was cut off by Lance, whose eyes were wide and mouth was open.**

Coran chuckled to himself.

**"What?!" Lance exclaimed. "You're a girl? How?!"**

"How did you not notice?" Coran asked, sounding genuinely confused.

**"I've known for some time, but I'm glad you've shared it with everyone." Allura told her with a smile.**

**"Yeah, I figured." Hunk nodded.**

**"Oh, yeah, me too." Keith smiled.**

**"Wait, we were supposed to think you were a boy?" Coran leaned in with a frown.**

**Shiro smiled when he said, "Pidge, owning who you are is going to make you a better paladin."**

Lance grumbled under his breath. "Why did everyone else but me know?"

**Pidge sighed in relief. "Man, it's good to get that off my chest. Now, let's go launch this castle ship!" She raced after the other paladins. Lance shook his head in disbelief. "What?! Pidge is a girl and the castle's a ship? How long have I been out?"**

The team laughed.

**The scene changed to all the paladins getting into their respective seats, and Allura and Coran reaching their control stations. "Activate interlock." Allura commanded. Coran activated the interlock.**

Hunk got all shaky. "I'm so excited!"

**"Dynotherms connected." Coran told her, and the castle began glowing a brighter blue.**

**"Mega thrusters are go."**

**"We are ready to depart Planet Arus on your mark, Princess." Coran announced.**

The team waited, seeing this again was going to be just as beautiful as it was the first time.

**"Firing main engines for launch." Allura commented, and the ship began raising up from the ground. The ground rumbled underneath them as the blasters lifted off. The Arusians watched the ship fly off, glowing like a star. Then, the castle shot off into space.**

The team cheered, high fiving.

**The scene changed to a Galra ship. "Sire, if capturing Voltron is the empire's number one priority, then I suggest we begin moving the main fleet toward its last known location posthaste." A soldier suggested, kneeling before Haggar and Zarkon.**

Shiro sighed. "And moment is ruined."

**Haggar turned to Zarkon. "Lord, after many years, the Komar experiment is finally ready. Soon, we can have more quintessence at our finger tips than ever imagined. We must test it before moving the fleet."**

**The soldier stood up, glaring. "We don't have time for any more of your magic. We must move our ships now."**

Hunk raised one finger slowly. "Isn't it bad to stand up when you're talking to a king or whatever?"

**Haggar ignored him, still speaking to Zarkon. "Voltron is the most powerful weapon ever created. His puny ships will never be up to the task. We must be well prepared for our next encounter."**

Allura shivered. "Haggar gives me the creeps."

Shiro nodded. "Me too."

**Zarkon slammed his hands down on his metal throne, and the soldier fell to his knees. "I know better than anyone the power of Voltron. Haggar has my trust. We will perform her test."**

"Anything for wifey." Pidge joked. The team laughed.

**The scene changed to two soldiers talking. "The witch has his ear. Keep sending out our offer to any scum between Planet Arus and Balmera X-95-VOX. I'll capture Voltron on my own."**

Keith shook his head. "Sounds dumb."

**The scene changed back to the castle. Hunk was pacing. "Okay, so when we get there, what do you think? Do we just roll up and start blasting? Or do we land and have some kind of public address system, like, "Attention Galras, this is Voltron, turn yourselves in"? No. Blasting, right?"**

Coran turned to look at Hunk. "Tea calms nerves."

**Keith looked at Hunk. "Hunk, calm down." Keith held out his hands and pushed them down, then leaned on the wall again. "And yes, blasting."**

Lance giggled, and then stopped when Keith gave him a weird look.

**Shiro turned to Keith with a smile. "It's our first big rescue mission. He's excited!"**

**"Excited to see his new girlfriend." Pidge teased, tilting her head back.**

Hunk blushed, crossing his arms.

**Hunk gasped. "She is not my girlfriend! She's just a rock that I met and admire very much!" He was cut off by an alarm. He looked up, startled.**

Lance's eyes widened as he remembered what was going to happen. "Oh no." He whispered, remembering how embarrassing it was.

**"What is it? Are we being attacked?" Shiro asked Coran, paranoia in his voice.**

**The man shook his head. "No, it seems to be a distress beacon."**

Pidge snorted. "I remember this!"

**"It is coming from a nearby moon. Apparently a ship has lost power." Allura frowned as she looked at the coordinates. Pidge crossed her arms. "I wonder who it is."**

Allura giggled, and then sighed. "I wish we hadn't wasted so much time, though."

**"Whoever it is will have to wait." Hunk interrupted angrily. "Shay has first priority. We can check back on them when we're done."**

Coran blinked in surprise. "That is not like I remember you."

**"The paladin code states that we must help _all_ those in need." Allura called. Hunk crossed his arms and turned away. **

Lance smiled brightly. "Do we have a handbook somewhere that I could see?"

**Lance stood up with a grin. "Aw, man, this is so cool! It's like we're space cops on space patrol. Coran, do we have a siren that we could turn on?"**

Keith facepalmed, attempting to hide his fond smile.

**Coran turned around. "Uh, no, but we could record you making a siren noise and broadcast that to them."**

**"Perfect!" Lance exclaimed and began making a siren noise, before his mouth was covered by Shiro's hand. "Nope, not doing that." Shiro murmured.**

The team burst out laughing.

**The castle began landing in front of Nyma, Rolo, and Beezer. "Attention, damaged craft, this is Princess Allura. We are coming to assist you."**

Hunk rolled his eyes. "We never should have landed there."

**"Woah, nice ship." Rolo commented as it began landing. The scene changed back to the inside. "Stay aboard and try to get as many of our systems clear of that Galra crystal energy as you can." Allura told Coran. "We'll see who hailed us."**

**"Yes, Princess."**

Hunk was tapping his foot on the floor angrily. "Dude, chill." Lance laughed.

**The scene changed to Allura and the paladins dropping out of the castle in a small pod. "You don't know how glad we are to see some friendly faces." Rolo greeted them.**

Shiro frowned. "I can just hear how fake his voice is now."

**"Most folks don't want to get tangled up with anyone who's on the run from the Galra." Rolo added.**

**Keith spoke up. "You guys are fighting the Galra?"**

Coran cleared his throat. "They ended up on our side in that one battle, remember?"

**Rolo crossed his arms. "Well, I don't think Zarkon is exactly quaking in his boots at the three of us, but we do what we can. I'm Rolo, this is Nyma and our cyber-unit Beezer."**

"Liars." Hunk grumbled.

**"Hi." Nyma smiled. Lance blushed immediately. Beezer made a beeping noise and Pidge's eyes widened in awe.**

"Wow. Just wow." Keith ran a hand through his hair.

**Lance kissed Nyma's hand. Pidge ran over to Beezer. "Cool robot!" She patted it's head. "Hi. Name's Lance." Lance grinned flirtatiously at Nyma. She giggled.**

"Honestly, Lance, anyone could see she was trying to seduce you." Keith growled. "How are you that dense?"

**"Was your ship damaged in a fight?" Shiro asked Rolo. Rolo blinked in surprise before replying, "Yeah, we've really been through it with the Galra. Parts are hard to come by. Luckily, we were able to limp to this moon about a week ago. If you didn't pick up our distress signal, I'd-" He was interrupted by Allura.**

"Hunk, your negativity is really making me sad." Pidge said to her friend. He sighed.

**"We're happy to help." Allura said with a soft smile. "I am Princess Allura of Altea, and from now on you won't be alone in fighting the Galra. You'll have the paladins of Voltron by your side."**

Keith rolled his eyes. "I assume at the moment, we didn't look too great."

**Rolo turned around to look at Pidge, who was sitting on Beezer, and Lance, who was flirting with Nyma. "Okay..." He sounded unimpressed.**

"Who is he to judge us? At least we're not liars who waste precious time." Hunk stomped his foot. "Calm down." Allura soothed.

**"I don't think they've heard of us." Shiro commented with a frown.**

**Keith had his arms crossed. "It _has_ been 10,000 years."**

No one said anything.

**Lance interrupted, turning away from Nyma. "Voltron? 5 robot lions that combine into this big robot guy?"**

**"Sounds impressive. I'd love to see it! Or...he...or them." Rolo murmured, confused.**

"He was stalling the whole time. I felt it, too!" Hunk growled again, throwing his hands up in the air. Lance shifted closer to Keith.

**"Why don't we get to work on your ship?" Hunk offered impatiently. "I'm sure we all have places to be."**

**"Sure."**

"Hunk, please just calm down. I think you're scaring Lance." Coran pointed to the blue paladin, who was huddled up next to Keith.

**Rolo opened the side of the ship. "Pretty much our whole flaxum assembly is shot. I don't know what kinds of extra parts you carry in this rig of yours. I've never seen anything like it." Rolo looked at the castle.**

"It is pretty great, huh?" Lance smirked up at Keith. Keith rolled his eyes.

**Lance flexed, making Nyma giggle, and Shiro hit him in the back of head. "I'm sure we can get you back up and running." Allura told Rolo. "Give Hunk a list of what you need. Coran can show you where to find it."**

"At least _I_ didn't let them into the castle." Hunk glared at Lance. Lance shrunk away from him, nearly leaning completely on Keith.

**"Okay." Hunk muttered.**

**"We'll go with you." Rolo said. "Don't want you to have to carry all that yourself. Come on, guys." He called to Nyma and Beezer.**

Lance rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Now that you all mention it, they were pretty suspicious."

**Rolo took a step forward but got held back by Hunk. "Uh, I don't think so. You can just wait out here."**

**"Hunk, don't be rude!" Allura scolded.**

Allura nodded. "That still stands now. Don't be rude."

**Lance pointed at Hunk. "Yeah, mind your manners. There are ladies present!" He made finger guns at Nyma. She smiled.**

Allura groaned, rubbing her forehead with one hand.

**Hunk glared at Rolo. "Oh, I'm sorry, but does anyone else remember the last time we let our defenses down? Someone kind of set off a bomb. Remember, Lance? You were almost killed."**

Keith blinked in shock at Hunk's bluntness. He'd never seen Hunk be that way before.

**"Oh, yeah." Lance muttered, frowning.**

**Shiro stepped forward. "Hunk's right. Sorry, but we have to be cautious."**

Allura gasped at her boyfriend. "I didn't remember you to be like that either."

**"Hey, I don't take it personal." Rolo laughed. "That's how it is out here. You've got to look out for your own. You're doing a good job, big man." He took the list Beezer printed from it and handed it to Hunk. Pidge drooled at the sight of Beezer.**

Hunk stood up, rage the only emotion on his face. Lance jumped out of his seat and clung to Keith, who was blushing a bright red.

"Did this _bitch_ really just call me _big man_?"

The screen paused as if the voice understood the moment.

The team blinked in horror. Hunk had never, ever sworn before. In fact, the other paladins hardly did either. Hunk was known to be the kindest, and sweetest of them all.

"Hunk, language!" Shiro spoke first, sounding angry. "Hunk, how could you say something like that?!" Allura added moments later.

Lance didn't move from Keith's arms. "Yeah...wow..."

The screen unpaused as Hunk sat down and turned away from the group.

**"Yeah, thanks." Hunk muttered disbelievingly as he took the list.**

"I'm sorry guys. I just started thinking about all the things that could have gone wrong, and all the things that must have happened to Shay while we were just sitting there...I'm sorry." Hunk whispered just loud enough for the team to hear.

**The scene changed to Rolo talking to the team in front of the fire.**

Lance moved back to his seat. "Hey, it's alright, man. We were just shocked. We get it." He comforted Hunk with a sympathetic frown. "Thanks, Lance."

**"My planet was destroyed by the Galra and I was taken captive." Rolo told them. "I managed to escape but not before I lost something." Rolo knocked on his prosthetic leg.**

Shiro glanced down at his arm, before deciding to comfort Hunk as well. "It's okay, Hunk. It's forgotten, we can all just calm down. Shay is safe."

**"I know exactly how that feels." Shiro clenched his robotic fist. Hunk pulled over a crate of supplies. "Well, I hope there are some parts in here that will fit." He sighed. "You know, to get your ship moving?"**

Hunk still seemed guilty. "Hey. I know better than anyone how it feels to let anger take over. We know you didn't mean it." Keith whispered to Hunk. Hunk smiled.

**"That's great, thanks!" Rolo called. Allura sat down and interrupted. "So what can you tell us about Zarkon's forces? Where are they concentrated?" She asked. Pidge was rolling around on Beezer's head in the distance.**

Pidge laughed at herself.

**Rolo blinked. "Well, his command ship sits right in the center of the Empire. He mostly calls the shots from there and has his minions do the work, depending on who's closest."**

Shiro seemed surprised. "That wasn't a lie."

**Rolo gestured to the sky. "This is the territory of a real nasty bugger named Sendak."**

**"Oh, we've met." Keith commented.**

"Unfortunately." Allura joked, trying to lighten the mood a bit.

**"How far are we from the center?" Shiro asked. Rolo replied, "We're way out on the fringes."**

"At least we're not in the most danger, then." Coran pointed out.

**Hunk walked over. "Sorry to interrupt, but I think you guys are kind of keeping Rolo from working. It's just that we're in a hurry. A hero named Shay saved my life, and I swore I would do the same for her and her people. You understand."**

**"Sure, sorry." Rolo stood up and patted Hunk's shoulder as he passed.**

"I will admit, that is incredibly suspicious." Allura said guiltily.

**Rolo opened the crate of parts and began examining them. "Hunk, we're going to get going soon, but I think Rolo might have some information that could be useful to us." Shiro told Hunk, glancing at the alien.**

Shiro nodded. "I guess he did."

**"I don't trust this guy as far as I can throw him. We ought to leave him with the parts and say adios, amigo." Hunk replied. He was cut off by Rolo calling, "Hey, bud! Sorry, but do you think you could hunt down a length of thermal pipe about yay long?" He made a shape with his hands.**

"I can't believe he managed to hear you from that far away." Pidge murmured in awe.

**Hunk groaned. "On the way." He walked toward the castle.**

The team laughed, even Hunk.

**Shiro approached Rolo. "So, are there more freedom fighters?" He asked. "Any kind of organized resistance to the Galra?"**

"Sure, plenty!" Coran called, and began finger counting.

**Rolo frowned. "Only folks who haven't been colonized yet, or the lucky few like us, who managed to escape somehow."**

Hunk frowned. "Didn't the Blades exist yet?"

"Yeah, but they weren't wildly known about." Keith answered.

**Keith spoke up. "Well, we're going to change all that."**

**"That's good to hear, but I've got to warn you, it's pretty bad out there. You don't know what you're up against." Rolo turned back to the parts.**

"He even gave hints." Lance groaned. "How did I not see it?"

**The scene changed to Lance and Nyma. "I mean, there are only five of us in the entire universe, so I guess you could say it's kind of a big deal." Lance smirked.**

Shiro facepalmed. "And here we go again."

**"I don't understand." Nyma murmured. "The lions are ships? Are they like, flying statues that you ride on?"**

Allura laughed. "Oh, that would be a sight!"

**Lance shook his head. "No, no, no! They're magic, but also super scientific and advanced. And they fly crazy fast, and have all these incredible weapons. Really, the entire castle is just insane. I wish you could see it." He smiled at her.**

Keith turned away from Lance to hide his jealousy.

**"Yes, it's too bad we're not allowed inside. I would love a tour from one of the knights." She closed her eyes and then opened them to look at Hunk. "But, I guess the big one is in charge, huh? You have to obey his orders?"**

Hunk choked on his laughter. "Oh yeah, sure!"

**"Who, Hunk?" Lance scoffed. "I don't have to listen to him!" He pulled Nyma's arm and led her to the castle, she giggled.**

Shiro sighed. "We really need to work on your impulse control."

**Lance led her into the bridge of the ship. She gasped. "This place is incredible!" She turned to Lance. Lance slicked his hair back. "Yeah, I guess. You get used to it."**

The team groaned.

**Nyma looked up. "But it's so gigantic! It must take you forever to get to your lion."**

**Lance smirked. "Oh, you'd be surprised."**

Coran shook his head. "Oh my goodness..."

**The scene changed to Lance and Nyma hang gliding to the lion, with Nyma's arms around his chest. She giggled, resting her head on his shoulder. He blushed bright red.**

Hunk rolled his eyes. "Wow, Lance."

**Nyma ended up holding Lance in the cockpit of the lion. "Pretty slick, right?" Lance asked with a smirk. "Unbelievable, take me on a ride around the moon?" Nyma pleaded, leaning in.**

"I know you do, but for some reason I am still praying you do not." Allura said with her hands clasped together in a praying motion.

**Lance blushed, but pulled his eyes with a small smile. "We should probably get back to the others."**

**Nyma sighed. "Yeah, you're right. Maybe Keith will give me a ride."**

Keith's eyes widened. "What?! I would never do that!"

**Lance lit up with jealousy. "No! Wait a second!" He began pressing controls. "What's the point of having a lion if you can't enjoy it, right? Giddy up buddy!"**

Keith sighed. "I cannot believe you fell for that." Lance's face was red with embarrassment. "S-She was just really convincing!"

**Hunk watched from the ground as the blue lion flew away. "Oh, Lance..." He groaned. Rolo walked over and put his hand on his shoulder. "Oh, let them have their fun. Thanks to you, this thing is almost ready, so we'll be on our way soon."**

Pidge tapped her finger on her knee. "One second they're really suspicious, and the next they're normal! I don't get it."

**Rolo glanced at the pipe. "Too many light years on that guy, I guess." He walked away. "Yeah..." Hunk muttered suspiciously.**

"I told you I knew it." Hunk crossed his arms.

**The scene changed to Haggar and her druids. "Begin the ritual." Haggar commanded, and four pieces of metal came together. The ground underneath the four druids lit up. "Druids of the four directions, join us!"**

"Wait, what?" Shiro shifted forward in his seat.

**The druids shot their magic into the middle, where Haggar stood. She shouted as the magic balled up together and blasted up the metal bars, lighting up the ship and casting out into the universe a bright white light.**

Keith frowned. "What the heck is that thing?"

**A moose like creature on the planet underneath the ship, stood up in shock as the ground beneath it began glowing white, and slowly turning browner. Quintessence was being pulled off the planet, and drawn to the Galra ship. The planet, once bright, turned dark green, brown, and gray.**

Allura gasped. "They created a device to steal quintessence! That's so horrible! That poor planet..."

**Haggar floated up to stand beside Zarkon. "The Komar experiment was a success. We have gained an entire planet's quintessence, a feat that would normally have taken us years."**

Lance blinked. "Well, that's not good."

**"Most impressive." Zarkon replied. "This will revolutionize the way we advance throughout the galaxy. Mining and colonizing planets is a thing of the past. With this much power available at our whim, we can now spend all of our time hunting down and capturing Voltron."**

Pidge seemed shaken up. "I would be terrified, if I didn't know that they failed."

**The scene changed back to Nyma and Lance. "Look, a kinetic spring! Let's land over there!" Nyma told him happily. The lion flew closer to the water. "The minerals reflect off the water, making a rainbow!" The water kicked up by the lion's speed, made a rainbow in the sky.**

Keith smiled softly. "Hey, that is kind of cool."

**Lance blushed. "Wow, is there anything you don't know?" He asked dreamily. She didn't reply, instead tapping a button on her wristband. Rolo's wristband lit up as well, and he slid out of the pipes of the ship.**

Shiro facepalmed. "Did you not hear the beeping?"

**"I think this thing is just about ready for a test flight." Rolo patted the ship. "Beezer, come co-pilot for me! Be back in a tick." He told the group quickly. Rolo and Beezer got in and shot off.**

Hunk sighed. "I can't believe we didn't think that was weird."

**The scene changed back to Nyma and Lance. "So, you want to see how fast I can climb this tree?" Lance asked flirtatiously. He didn't notice the handcuffs that Nyma had behind her.**

"How fast you can climb a tree?" Keith teased with a loud laugh. Lance blushed in embarrassment. "Stop making fun of me!"

**Nyma giggled. "Aw, you are cute. Let me show you something, give me your hand." She reached out to him. He blushed, slowly giving her his hand. She yanked him forward and put the handcuffs on, shoving him against the tree. The yellow rope instantly connected to the tree.**

Hunk and Pidge looked horrified. "That all happened so fast."

**"Woah, this is kind of..." Lance smirked. He was cut off by the wind from the ship flying by.**

Shiro gasped. "Oh my god, Lance, what is wrong with you!?"

Lance blushed so hard he thought he might explode. "I-I thought she was just a little...weird!"

**The ship sucked up the blue lion easily. "Nyma, what's going on?!" Lance exclaimed, the wind blowing his hair.**

"How did you not figure this out yet?" Coran teased him, chuckling.

**"Sorry, Lance." Nyma said with a smile, grabbing onto the rope that fell from the ship. "Maybe we'll meet again!"**

"In another lifeee" Pidge sang. Lance glared at her, and she stopped with a small giggle.

**Lance stared after her, devastated. Once the ship flew away, Lance looked around for his helmet. It was on the ground a few feet away. "Oh, quiznak."**

"You deserve the struggle, for being so dumb." Pidge laughed at Lance's offended expression.

**The scene changed back to the rest of the team. Pidge was swinging her feet. "How many ticks have they been gone?"**

**"I don't know." Allura sighed. "I hope they didn't break down again."**

Allura shook her head slowly. "Even I was stupid."

**"Something ain't right." Hunk murmured.**

Pidge burst out laughing. "Ain't?!?"

**The scene changed back to Lance, who was laying down and straining to use his feet and reach his helmet. He used one foot to kick the helmet up toward his head. "Guys!" He called. "Hello? Little help?"**

"And the truth is unveiled." Lance whispered.

**Shiro gasped when he heard Lance. "Lance, Lance? Are you alright?" Shiro asked worriedly. "What's going on?"**

"Hey, thanks, space dad." Lance smiled when Shiro blinked in confusion.

**"Well, I'm kind of chained to a tree..." Lance replied. "I knew it." Hunk shook his head.**

**"And I think Nyma and Rolo stole the blue lion."**

**"I _knew it_!"**

Pidge began tapping her foot. "Okay, battle time!"

**"Where are they?" Shiro frowned. "Uh, space?" Lance offered.**

"Wow, you should write a book with all that knowledge." Keith teased him.

**"Oh, I never trusted those guys! Right from the beginning." Hunk shouted, frowning. The scene changed to Hunk heading to his lion. "At first it was just a feeling in my gut, but when I was replacing that pipe, the pipe was cracked, but none of the hardware around it was damaged!"**

"You should start a rant podcast." Shiro decided to join in on teasing his teammates. "Podcast?" Allura asked in confusion.

**"We get it!" Keith interrupted.**

**Hunk continued anyway. "If the thermal pipe is cracked then, obviously, hello, the entire assembly should be entirely roasted."**

**" _Okay_ , we get it!" Keith shouted. **

Hunk chuckled in embarrassment. "My bad."

**Hunk continued still. "We should have had to replace the entire undercarriage of that reactor. So, right then, I was like, positive. Foul play."**

**The entire team shouted. "Okay, we get it!"**

Coran laughed. "I am glad I did not have to hear the ranting!"

**The lions shot out of the castle to find Rolo and his team. Meanwhile, with Rolo, Nyma and Beezer. "Commander Prorok, my name is Rolo." Rolo began.**

"Oh, cool, inside information we never got to see!" Lance said, leaning back. "Let's enjoy this."

**"I understand you're offering a reward to anyone helping capture the Voltron lions." Rolo continued.**

**"That's correct." Prorok replied over hologram. "Do you know where they are?"**

"I hate how the Galra can just receive information about us from anybody." Allura murmured. "Makes me uncomfortable."

**"I know where the blue one is." Rolo responded. "It's in my ship."**

Hunk rolled his eyes. "So cocky."

**Prorok smiled. "Excellent. Bring it to me and you will have your reward immediately."**

**"Just a tick. My friends and I have a bit of a checkered past. Some stolen merchandise from the Galra empire may have fallen into our possession without us knowing about it." Rolo added, frowning.**

Shiro tilted his head. "Interesting."

**Prorok blinked. "Well, I'm sure a full pardon can be arranged for the brave souls who bring Emperor Zarkon a Voltron lion. Is that all?"**

**"We'll take the reward, too." Nyma urged.**

Pidge nodded. "You know, if she hadn't been such a liar, I would like Nyma. She's pretty awesome."

**"Of course." Prorok agreed.**

**Rolo nodded. "Alright, we're on our way." The hologram disappeared.**

Coran smiled proudly. "But the brave and powerful Voltron will stop you."

**Rolo stretched out his arms and leaned back. "I almost feel sorry for those Voltron folks. Seemed like a nice bunch."**

**Nyma glared at him. "If you're feeling guilty, you can turn yourself in. Stealing from Zarkon carries a life sentence."**

**"They don't seem...that nice."**

Hunk scoffed. "Rude."

**The scene changed to Prorork. "Send the nearest fighter squadron to the area of the transmission. I'm not trusting some bounty hunter with our prize."**

"Savages..." Allura muttered, crossing her arms tightly against her chest.

**The scene changed back to Rolo's group. Alarms began blaring in the ship, and an image of the lions appeared in front of them. "No way..." Rolo muttered.**

"Yes way." Hunk winked.

**Rolo grabbed the steering wheel. "Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Nyma asked. "There's no way we can outrun those lions."**

"Heck yeah, you can't!" Lance grinned.

**Rolo leaned forward with a smile. "Not in the open. Good thing the Zolar asteroid belt is right up here and I know that like the back of my hand." He flew the ship in, easily dodging all the asteroids.**

"Apparently not well enough." Keith said.

**"We'll never get through the asteroid field!" Pidge exclaimed, eyes wide with worry. "Maybe I can just bust through!" Hunk shouted, ramming his lion into an asteroid. The asteroid barely moved, and hit another asteroid, which also barely moved.**

Allura facepalmed. "Oh my..."

**"Nope, that was wrong. That was a bad idea!" Hunk called.**

**"Keith." Shiro said. "You're the only one who could possibly fly through this. We need you, buddy. Get in there and flush him out."**

**"You got it! See you on the other side."**

Lance nudged Keith. "If anyone could do it, you could." He blushed afterward. Keith blushed as well, looking away awkwardly.

**Keith flew his lion into the asteroid field, and easily dodged several asteroids. He landed on one, and then continued jumping from one to the next. He ran up the side of one, with another asteroid coming closer to his back every second, about to crush him.**

The team held their breath.

**Keith blasted off at the last moment, saving himself.**

Lance breathed out in relief. "Thank god." He said almost inaudibly.

**Keith was just a few asteroids above Rolo's ship. "No way." Rolo whispered. "Get on the blasters! Take him out!"**

**"Copy." Nyma said, and Beezer beeped.**

"Not a chance." Keith put his legs on Pidge's lap. She didn't mind, so she didn't comment on it.

**The blasters came out of the roof and began firing at Keith. His eyes widened, and he narrowly dodged each one, twisting around to try and shoot the ship himself. Rolo chuckled. "This kid can flat out fly."**

Shiro smiled, turning to glance proudly at Keith.

**Keith dodged several more blasts, and then swerved to avoid their range and came around toward the side. "He's gaining on you!" Nyma shouted, eyes narrowed. Rolo quickly turned the ship, leaving Keith flying straight at an asteroid. Keith gasped, and barely saved himself from hitting the rock.**

"Well, that was close." Hunk commented.

**Keith blasted off again and formed the jaw blade, then flung it at the ship and cut the blasters in half. They blew up. "Blasters are offline!" Nyma called in fear. "We've got to get out of here!" Rolo added.**

Coran was humming a tune under his breath, completely unbothered by the screen.

**The ship sped up, but Keith shot out one side of the ship, which blew up and slowed them down. Keith landed the lion on top of the ship, digging it's claws in and forcing the ship down. The other lions surrounded the ship as well.**

Lance smirked. "And victory is ours."

**Rolo and Nyma sighed in defeat. "Yeah!" Keith shouted with a smile. "Hey, Lance, I got your lion back." He smiled softly.**

Lance blushed bright red immediately.

**"Thank you, Keith. Now, can you come and unchain me?" Lance asked.**

**Keith smiled mischievously. "What's that? I, uh, you're cutting out. I can't hear you!"**

Pidge laughed. "Yeah, you deserved that."

**"Oh, come on! I thought we bonded!" Lance groaned. "Keith? Buddy? My man?"**

Keith laughed. "Yeah, that was pretty funny."

**The scene changed to Nyma, Rolo, and Beezer on the ground with their broken ship. The team, including Lance, was around them. "Since your ship _really_ doesn't work now..." Keith said. "You'll have to wait here for a rescue."**

Shiro chuckled. "That whole day was insane."

**"Thank you...for sparing our lives." Rolo murmured.**

**"Now that these guys are dealt with, let's get to the Balmera and save Shay and her family." Hunk growled.**

"You are really impatient, huh?" Lance teased, poking Hunk's cheek.

**"You may not believe this, but I hope you do stop Zarkon. It's a lifetime of fighting the Galra that led me to where I am today." Rolo whispered, looking down. The team walked away, sympathetic.**

Hunk smiled. "Shay saving time is go!"

**The scene changed to Haggar and the druids, as well as a small lizard. "All this quintessence will turn you into the strongest, most horrifying fighter ever created." She rasped. "One that even Voltron will not be able to defeat."**

**The screen turned black.**

Keith blinked in shock. "You know, I would laugh, but I think I know what that lizard turns into."

Lance nodded wildly. "Me too! I want to see it again! Hurry up, next episode!"


	13. IMPORTANT AUTHOR NOTE

Hello! I just wanted to let you all know, that the next chapter of this story will be out sometime in the next 3-4 days. 

I'm dealing with a lot of personal things right now, and I don't have a lot of time to write. After these next couple days, that problem should be fixed. Hope you understand!


	14. Return to the Balmera (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long to come out ANDDD it's a part 1. I was not at all focusing on this as hard as I should have been. My depression has been getting to me more lately and I was just taking a mental break from everything. Part 2 will be out shortly.

**"We'll be arriving at the Balmera soon. Liberating these Balmerans from Zarkon will not be easy." Allura warned, as the ship continued to fly toward the planet.**

Lance shivered at the memory. "Yeah, no kidding."

**"So, what's the plan?" Lance asked. "We just go in there and-pow, pow, pow!" He made sound effects and finger guns. "And free the prisoners?"**

Keith chuckled, smiling to himself.

**"What was that noise?" Keith deadpanned, unimpressed.**

**Lance turned to him with a smirk. "Laser guns."**

Shiro shook his head disapprovingly. "I still think laser guns sound completely different."

**"No, Lance, I think you mean-" Hunk crouched a bit, holding out his arms and making a different laser sound effect. Lance crossed his arms and replied, "That sounds like fireworks!".**

Allura had her head in her hands, but she was giggling. "This is not a good way to spend paladin time."

**"Technically, they're more pa-choo, pa-choo, pa-choo!" Pidge interrupted, making finger guns.**

Coran frowned. "None of these are correct so far."

**"Okay, enough with the bad sound effects." Shiro called. "Besides, it's more like blam, blam, blam!"**

The team laughed.

**"What?"**

**"You're crazy."**

**"Wrong."**

**"No way."**

Shiro laughed wholeheartedly. "I feel attacked right now."

**"Paladins, focus!" Allura grumbled.**

Hunk grinned and said, "Might be a bit late for that".

**"Besides, we can't just shoot at the Galra." Hunk spoke up. "This Balmera is, like, alive. And from what we've seen, it doesn't look very good." A thermal scan of the planet appeared on the screen in front of them.**

The mood having been ruined, the paladins didn't say anything.

**Coran nodded. "Yes, it's an atrocity what the Galra have been doing to this grand beast. Stealing its crystals, its very life force, without ever performing the energy rejuvenation ceremonies to heal it."**

"I'd really like to know more about how that works at some point." Pidge murmured as she readjusted her glasses.

**Hunk's face had hardened. "After seeing Shay's people enslaved, it made me realize how bad Zarkon really is. And we're the only ones who can stop him." He glanced at Shiro.**

Allura was frowning, but she didn't say anything.

**"Okay, so we can't go into the tunnels guns blazing." Shiro muttered. "Plan B. We figure out how to draw the Galra up to the surface and battle them out there."**

"Wouldn't that still mean some damage to the surface, though?" Keith asked, confused. Shiro shrugged.

**"Wait, I know! If we attack all this big mining stuff on the surface, the Galra troops would have to come out to defend it. Then we beat them up, head down to the tunnels, Voltron saves the day." Hunk grinned proudly.**

Pidge smiled at him. "Good thinking, Hunk."

**Keith crossed his arms. "How will we know how many are left in the tunnels?" He asked.**

Lance leaned back. "I do miss the innocent days when we didn't understand the wonderful, glorious technology we have." He smirked, winking at Allura. She rolled her eyes.

**Allura smiled. "We can track the Galra and the Balmerans using Biothermal Life Indicator Point Technology." A hologram of a small, egg shaped piece of technology appeared in front of her.**

Coran pulled on his mustache. "Yes, one of my favorite technological advancements!"

**"Oh, BLIP tech!" Pidge knelt down to look at it closer. Allura blinked in confusion. "It's an acronym." Pidge explained weakly.**

The team laughed.

**"One of you will need to fly around the Balmera and drop sensors into the shafts on each side." Allura smiled at the hologram of the inside of the Balmera. "Then we'll be able to see where the Galra and the Balmerans are. There are already sensors built into your suits."**

Lance yawned. "Boring, where's the action?"

**Pidge smiled happily. "I can do it! I just modified the green lion with the invisible maze's cloaking ability. I should be able to fly around unnoticed." She glanced around the room.**

Keith high fived Pidge.

**A picture of the surface of the Balmera appeared. "That's their main power generator." Coran pointed to it. "If you take that down, it will severely weaken their defenses."**

Shiro grinned at Coran. "I love it when you help with battles."

**Allura nodded. "We'll stay in cloud cover and provide tactical support. With the castle's defenses weakened by Sendak's crystal, we won't be of much help to you." She said sadly.**

Shiro put a hand on her shoulder and smiled.

**Shiro frowned, turning away from the team. "I'll take out the power generator. Keith, Lance, Hunk, you take out the big mining rigs around the area." He ordered seriously.**

Pidge laughed, slapping her hand on her knee multiple times. "The Space Dad is out."

**Hunk cheered. "Yeah! Let's do this! Let's go kick some alien butt!"**

Allura rolled her eyes, but her fond smile gave her away.

**The scene changed to the paladins getting into their lions. Lance smirked as he pressed controls. "Do you think the Balmerans will have a parade for us after we've freed everybody?"**

The team groaned. "That's what you're worried about? Really?" Keith complained. Lance blushed in embarrassment.

**Keith's face appeared in the lion. "It's not about the glory, Lance. It's about freeing prisoners from Zarkon." He reminded him calmly.**

Hunk blinked in surprise. "It's so strange to see you guys actually giving advice...nicely..."

**"No, I know, I know! But still. When they-" Lance was cut off by his lion darting out of the castle.**

Giggling, Allura said, "He deserved that."

**The lions flew down, and as soon as they were in sight of the weaponry, the defenses began firing blasts at them. "Okay, this is it. Keep your heads in the game, and remember the Balmera is a living creature." Shiro reminded them. "Make sure you pinpoint only the Galra installations and not its surface."**

Keith sighed. "You're a better leader than I ever was, Shiro." He complimented, forcing a smile. Though surprised, Shiro smiled back, not noticing the hidden pain.

**"Initiating cloak." Pidge reported, and her lion disappeared from view as it dropped the first BLIP tech into a tunnel. Lance was dodging blasts easily, and also managed to take out several Galra installations with expert aim.**

Allura and Coran were cheering proudly, seeing as this was their first time actually seeing this.

**Hunk, on the other hand, was bashing his lion into the installations.**

The team laughed.

**The scene changed to Shiro. "How do I take this thing down?" He muttered quietly under his breath. A flashing hologram appeared in front of him. "What's that? Jaw blade? Well, okay! Let's do this." He pressed the controls, the jaw blade appearing. He flew the lion across the power generator, slicing into each of the smaller parts. They exploded behind him.**

"Wow, Shiro, not bad at all!" Pidge high fived her brother figure. He smiled proudly.

**The scene changed back to Pidge, who was still hidden and dropping BLIP tech. "All sensors delivered!" She alerted Allura and Coran, a joyful tone to her voice. Coran and Allura watched as a hologram of each of the tunnels appeared.**

Hunk slowly clapped. "But I did better."

**The scene changed to Keith. He dodged two blasts from the main Galra installation, and then shot it with fire, melting a hole straight through the middle. "Hey, did you guys see that? I've got fire power!" He grinned.**

**Lance pouted. "Hey, I want that."**

Allura sighed, shaking her head.

**Suddenly, the structure collapsed, tilting over. "Oh no!" Keith murmured. Hunk flew over, his lion holding it up. "Hey, we can't let this thing hurt the Balmera!" His lion used the jetpacks to try and stay flying, but Hunk was grunting with the effort of keeping it up.**

Shiro raised an eyebrow disapprovingly at Keith. The paladin in question sighed. "I know..."

**"I think my lion knows what to do." Lance told them. His lion opened its mouth, and shot out a blast of ice. It froze the structure entirely, and kept it from falling. "Aw, snap! These rays are super cool, just like me!" Lance smirked.**

The team simulataneously groaned. Keith began bashing his head against the back of his chair.

  **The lions landed on the ice. "Great job, team!" Shiro called. The lions waited. "Where are all the troops? They're not coming to the surface." Keith commented worriedly.**

Lance smirked at Keith. "I didn't think you had it in you to care, Mullet."

**Hunk frowned in confusion. "Yeah, I remember seeing a lot of Galra guys down in the mines." He replied.**

Coran nodded. "Indeed."

**"We've located a hangar full of Galra fighters just below the surface." Allura interjected. "Someone has to take those out before they launch."**

Lance smirked. "And of course, it'll be me, the best and brightest of the team. Oh, and Keith, I guess, but he's just average." He chuckled as Keith grumbled something.

**"They're luring us down, but we have no choice." Shiro said. "Keith, Lance, you guys hit the hangar. Hunk, head to the prison to rescue Shay and the other Balmerans. Pidge and I will track down the Galra soldiers."**

Pidge grinned at Hunk smugly. "I think I may have been more useful than you thought."

**"Yes, sir."**

**"Ten-four!"**

**"On it!"**

**"Let's do this!"**

Allura giggled. "Keith called you sir."

**The scene changed to a Galra ship. "Commander Prorok, we have word from the troops on Balmera X-95 VOX. The informants were right, Voltron is there." A soldier informed Prorok.**

The team stopped joking around and listened closely, interested.

**"Excellent." Prorok growled. "Everything is going according to plan."**

**The soldier spoke up again. "How do you wish to proceed? Should we inform Emperor Zarkon?"**

Scoffing, Allura looked away. "Like he would do anything. He always preferred to let others suffer while he hid safely away from the fights."

**Prorok turned around. "Contact Sub-commander Ylvik. His fleet is awaiting my command. Tell him it's time to attack. I will update the Emperor." He smirked.**

Pidge wrapped her arms around herself. "Gross, they always creep me out."

**The scene changed back to Shiro, landing his lion. He left the lion in a car-like pod, and drove down the tunnel. A particle barrier went up around the lion.**

"Honestly, I wish I had Shiro's job. Then I could be without Lance." Keith teased. Lance rolled his eyes. "That wasn't even a good insult."

**The scene changed to Keith and Lance. They jumped out of their pods, and slid down a tiny cliff. They crouched next to each other, surveying the hangar.**

Hunk squeaked in excitement. "Klance!" He blurted. Keith and Lance turned to him, frowning. "What?" Lance asked.

**"The entire hangar is only being guarded by a few sentries." Keith said, activating his bayard. "Let's go!" Before he could get far, Lance grabbed him by the back of the suit and held him back.**

The team laughed.

**"Woah, woah, woah! Cool your jets, Keith. Don't you remember that stuff about this Balmera thing being a sensitive animal?" Lance asked, letting go of Keith. Keith blinked. "Oh, right."**

**"Yeah, so we can't just blow things up, like a _psycho_." Lance snaps, eyes narrowed. **

**Keith looked up at him. "Oh, you got a better idea?" He growls back.**

**Lance smiled. "I do." He pointed at the control room. "We sneak into the control room to shut down the bay doors. That'll trap the ships in." He looked back at Keith.**

**"That-" Keith cut himself off. "Is actually a better idea..."**

Coran fell to his knees, fake sobbing dramatically. "Halleluiah! I never thought I'd see the day."

**Keith smiled at Lance fondly as he followed him across the bridge.**

Pidge choked. "Klance!"

**The scene changed to Hunk, in the yellow pod, driving down a tunnel. "Allura, Coran, what's my location? All the tunnels look the same. I can't remember where the prison is." Hunk explained, looking around.**

Allura crossed her arms. "That's not very convenient, is it?" Shiro wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

**Coran looked at the hologram while he twirled his mustache. "You're on the right path. Turn right at the next tunnel." He moved further down the hologram. "Once you get there, you'll need to disable the energy doors. Be careful, it looks like it's heavily guarded."**

Hunk sighed. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."

**The scene changed to Lance and Keith, in the vents above the control room.**

**"No, no, it's over here!"**

**"I know what I'm doing."**

Pidge slumped over. "And the teamwork is over."

**Keith stabbed a hole through the ceiling above the sentry, and slid it in a circle. Seconds later, Lance jumped through, the piece of the ceiling hitting the sentry in the head and taking it out. Keith swung out more gracefully.**

The team laughed again.

**Lance knelt in front of the controls. "Keep an eye out for those guards. I'm going to see if I can find a way to shut these hangar doors." Lance told him. Keith nodded and did as he was told.**

 Shiro most of all seemed surprised to see Keith just accept it. It was new...

**Lance began looking around at each of the control buttons. "No...maybe...nope...uh..." He trailed off. He began clicking buttons with no real method or idea behind it.**

Allura sighed. "That's not very smart." She said, not thinking much of it. Lance flinched again, crossing his arms defensively.

**"I don't know what I'm doing here. It's all Galra gibberish." Lance told Keith. The red paladin crawled over. "Let me see." He said, and Lance moved out of his way.**

Hunk and Pidge were both fangirling so hard, whispering 'klance' over and over. Keith was trying to put the puzzle together in his head, but he had never been one to understand that sort of thing.

**Keith looked at it, eyes flickering around the screen while Lance just stared in wide eyed confusion. Keith gently placed his palm on the Galra handprint. The control board beeped in recognition, and the bay doors closed slowly, rattling.**

Allura flinched away from the screen, knowing now why that was possible for Keith. She knew Keith wasn't like other Galra...that he was a friend, an ally...family. But, it still hurt sometimes.

**"Woah, how'd you do that?" Lance asked, shocked. Keith looked down, eyes wide. "I...put my hand on the handprint." Keith shrugged.**

Shiro patted Keith on the shoulder. Keith didn't respond, or show any sign of acknowledging the action. Shiro's eyes narrowed in concern.

**The scene changed back to Hunk. He arrived at the energy gate, jumping out of his pod quickly and taking cover behind it as sentries shot at him. Hunk shot at the sentries with his bayard, taking them out in mere moments. "That was way too easy...I definitely don't have a good feeling about this."**

Pidge chuckled. "That's a good motto."

**Hunk picked up one of the sentries' severed arms and pressed the hand to the handprint. The gate opened and Hunk ran in. He raced down the tunnel, reaching the prison chamber that Shay's family was in.**

"Ay, meeting the fam for a second time. Nice." Pidge gave Hunk a thumbs up. He glared at her, blushing.

**Hunk pressed the Galra hand to the handprint and the energy bars disappeared. "Hunk, you're back!" Shay's father rasped, smiling. Hunk smiled back, taking the hands of the Balmeran. "I promised I'd be back. Where's Shay?"**

Lance and Keith were still eerily silent, setting a strange tension in the room.

**Rax spoke up from the corner. "Our life may not have been perfect, but our family was whole." He began, narrowing his eyes. "Your arrival has left us imprisoned and torn apart. As soon as your attack started, they took her away to the core of the Balmera. For all we know, she could be gone for good."**

"And whose fault was that again? I believe it was his." Coran pouted.

**The scene changed to Allura and Coran. "Paladins, are you there?" Allura called. "The Galra troops are moving down the tunnels. It looks like they're going toward the center."**

Pidge readjusted her glasses as she leaned forward. "BLIP tech is so amazing, you can see everything!"

**The scene changed back to Hunk. He frowned deeply. "They must be headed to the core. That's where they're holding Shay." Hunk set off running.**

"Run for love, Hunk, run for love!" Pidge continued teasing. Hunk was bright red.

**"They're drawing us into an ambush, but we don't have a choice if we want to save Shay." Shiro replied, voice tight with worry. "We have to follow. Lance, Keith, get to the core. I think we're going to need everyone together to get out of this firefight."**

Hunk pointed to the screen. "See! Hop on that, Keith and Lance! Together! Cool, right, Pidge?"

**"Copy that, we're on our way." Lance replied, walking away. Keith activated his bayard and cut the control panel. Once Keith was safely out of the room, Lance activated his bayard and shot the palm scanner. They both ran away.**

"Teamwork makes the dream work." Shiro teased them. Not expecting the silence, Shiro flinched. Keith's eyes flicked toward him once, before he quickly turned away.

**The scene changed to Pidge. She gasped, slowing her pod to a sudden stop as the tunnel narrowed. "Looks like you're in an area where the tunnels are too narrow for your speeder." Allura told her over com.**

**Pidge nodded, jumping out of the pod. "Yeah, proceeding on foot!"**

 

 

To Be Continued

 

 

 

 

 

 


	15. Another author note...please read

I know you're all probably going to be pretty disappointed when you read this but I am taking a couple weeks of a break from writing this. Someone in my family passed away yesterday and I need to go to the funeral across country. I won't have much time to write during my mourning, and during school. Thank you for understanding. I am not giving up on this story, I'm just taking a break.

Thank you for reading.


	16. ANOTHER UPDATE

Sorry, this is not a chapter. I've been visiting a lot of friends and family while also being busy with school. I might be another week or so before posting again.

I watched Season 8 today. Personally, I really liked this season. Not my favorite, but not at all my least favorite. Comment your thoughts below if you want to!


	17. Last Author Note

The next chapter will be out the day after Christmas!  
Happy holidays!


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